The resources provided in this guide are listed with a license type or with a statement regarding access / download.
For authors who intend to create / publish OER materials, it is important to consider the license options.
For instructors who are selecting materials for their classes, they need to check the license type and learn the range of permission for the use of the materials they select.
The following is a brief description of each license type. The information is copied from the web page of Creative Commons (CC ) -- License options
The meaning of the acronyms used in the license options:
CC - Creative Commons BY - Attribution NC – NonCommercial ND - No Derivatives SA - ShareAlike
There are six different license types, listed from most to least permissive here:
CC BY 
This license lets others distribute, remix, adapt, and build upon the material in any medium or format, even commercially, as long as they credit the author/creator for the original creation. This is the most accommodating of licenses offered, in terms of what others can do with the works licensed under Attribution. CC BY includes the following elements:
BY: credit must be given to the creator.
CC BY-SA 
This license lets others distribute, remix, adapt, and build upon the material in any medium or format, even for
commercial reasons, so long as attribution is given to the creator. All new works based on the material will carry the same license, so any derivatives will also allow commercial use. CC BY-SA includes the following elements:
BY: credit must be given to the creator.
SA: Adaptations must be shared under the same terms.
CC BY-NC 
This license enables reusers to distribute, remix, adapt, and build upon the material in any medium or format for noncommercial purposes only, and only so long as attribution is given to the creator. CC BY-NC includes the following elements:
BY: credit must be given to the creator.
NC: Only noncommercial uses of the work are permitted.
CC BY-NC-SA
(Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike)
This license enables reusers to distribute, remix, adapt, and build upon the material in any medium or format for noncommercial purposes only, and only so long as attribution is given to the creator. If you remix, adapt, or build upon the material, you must license the modified material under identical terms. CC BY-NC-SA includes the following elements:
BY: credit must be given to the creator.
NC: Only noncommercial uses of the work are permitted.
SA: Adaptations must be shared under the same terms.
CC BY-ND 
This license enables reusers to copy and distribute the material in any medium or format in unadapted form only, and only so long as attribution is given to the creator. The license allows for commercial use. CC BY-ND includes the following elements:
BY: credit must be given to the creator.
ND: No derivatives or adaptations of the work are permitted.
CC BY-NC-ND 
This license is the most restrictive of the six main licenses. It enables reusers to copy and distribute the material in any medium or format in unadapted form only, for noncommercial purposes only, and only so long as attribution is given to the creator. CC BY-NC-ND includes the following elements:
BY: credit must be given to the creator.
NC: Only noncommercial uses of the work are permitted.
ND: No derivatives or adaptations of the work are permitted.
All rights reserved - is copyright notice indicating that the copyright holder retains exclusive rights to a work, meaning no one else can use, copy, or distribute it without explicit permission. Although rare in OER resources, some authors / publishers do change license terms due to various reasons.
