Late last year President Clinton signed into law the Digital Millenium Copyright Act. It was a far reaching attempt to update copyright law in order to keep pace with the digital environment by providing new rules for downloading, sharing, or simply viewing copyrighted material on-line Some cheered the passage of The Act and others lamented it. For the software and entertainment industries it was a triumph because now they can market their products on-line without fear of piracy. However many, including academics, educators, and researchers, view The Act as a set back, even an assault, on their traditional access to and use of information. The balancing of conflicting needs of the copyright owners and the users of copyrighted materials, while applying the copyright law to the emerging technology of today, is truly an evolving and a daunting process. Included in The Act was a mandate to the Register of Copyrights to consult with representatives of copyright owners, nonprofit educational institutions, and nonprofit libraries and archives, and submit to Congress recommendations on how to promote distance education through digital technologies, including interactive digital networks, while maintaining an appropriate balance between the rights of copyright owners and the needs of users of copyrighted works. The purpose of this paper is to place The Register of Copyrights Study in its historical environment and describe the recommendations of The Study concerning how to promote distance education through digital technologies.