UC Berkeley to Restrict Access to Course Capture Videos, Audio Lectures

Image Credit: YouTube.

The University of California, Berkeley (UCB) last week informed its campus community that it would restrict access to its legacy Course Capture (classroom lecture) content from webcast.berkeley.edu, which includes more than 20,000 videos and audio files located on YouTube and iTunesU, as part of its ongoing effort to improve the accessibility of its online content. Beginning March 15, access to course content on iTunesU will be suspended and Education Technology Services (ETS) will move YouTube content to another channel that requires a CalNet/CAS authentication login.

UCB Vice Chancellor for Undergraduate Education Cathy Koshland in an announcement said that the entire process will take about three to five months to complete. Koshland said the move addresses the United States Department of Justice’s order to make its “YouTube and iTunesU content meet higher accessibility standards as a condition of remaining publically available.” The department last August determined UCB’s free, online content was violating the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990 due to a lack of captions and other accessibility issues. Koshland had issued a statement that the university “might not be able to continue to provide free content under the conditions laid out by the Department of Justice” and considered the removal of its online content from public access.

Last week’s announcement revealed UCB would follow through on this — shifting its focus from “content that is 3-10 years-old, much of which sees very limited use” toward creating “new public content that includes accessible features.” In addition to improving accessibility, Koshland commented, moving the content will help the institution “better protect instructor intellectual property from ‘pirates’ who have reused content for personal profit without consent.”

ETS is working to provide CalNet users a new website that will function as a directory of recordings (expected to launch sometime in April on webcast.berkeley.edu). In the meantime, Koshland encourages all members of the campus community to visit the newly launched Berkeley Accessible Course Content website, which identifies best practices and techniques for creating accessible course content.

Further information is available through the FAQ on the UCB site.

About the Author

Sri Ravipati is Web producer for THE Journal and Campus Technology. She can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • abstract representation of AI and software development focusing on technological elements like circuit boards, gears, data flow lines, binary code, and brackets

    Google Launches More AI Tools, Open Source AI Agent Platform

    Google recently unleashed a slough of generative AI technologies, from the next generation of its open foundation model to an open source AI agent platform.

  • a stylized magnifying glass and a neural network pattern with interconnected nodes, symbolizing search and AI processes

    OpenAI Unveils SearchGPT AI-Powered Search Engine

    OpenAI has introduced SearchGPT, a new AI-powered search engine designed to access information from across the internet in real time. The much-anticipated prototype will provide more organized and meaningful search results by summarizing and contextualizing information rather than returning lists of links.

  • interconnected cloud icons with glowing lines on a gradient blue backdrop

    Report: Cloud Certifications Bring Biggest Salary Payoff

    It pays to be conversant in cloud, according to a new study from Skillsoft The company's annual IT skills and salary survey report found that the top three certifications resulting in the highest payoffs salarywise are for skills in the cloud, specifically related to Amazon Web Services (AWS), Google Cloud, and Nutanix.

  • open laptop with screen depicting a glowing, holographic figure surrounded by floating symbols of knowledge like books, equations, and lightbulbs

    Cengage Intros Gen AI Student Assistant Beta

    Ed tech company Cengage has announced the beta launch of Student Assistant, a generative AI tool designed to guide students through the learning process with personalized resources and feedback.