Using Koala Audiobooks in the classroom
A practical guide for teachers, parents and school librarians. Preview each recording for age suitability, sensitive topics and learning needs before using it with students.
Personal download access
Use the download instructions supplied with your purchase to access your audio. Keep your order details and download link private. A purchase should not be treated as a blanket school licence or permission to distribute copies to students.
Playing audio in class
Australian copyright exceptions may allow teachers to play purchased audio as part of classroom instruction, subject to applicable conditions. Playing audio during a lesson is different from copying it, distributing it, lending it digitally or using it at a public event.
Before classroom use, verify your school’s Australian copyright and performing-rights position with your school copyright adviser or education department. Check the recording, any included music, your intended audience and the way you plan to use it. Do not assume that classroom guidance also covers assemblies, performances, fundraising events, recorded lessons or online distribution.
See Smartcopying: performance and communication of copyright material in class. This guide is practical information, not a school licence or a determination of your permissions.
Sharing with students and storing school copies
Do not assume your purchase permits emailing audio files or download links to students, placing files on an LMS or shared drive, loading a class set of devices, or lending downloads through the library. Check the applicable purchase terms and your school’s permissions or copyright exceptions first. A password-protected platform does not by itself establish permission.
Until permission is confirmed, share the audiobook’s product-page link rather than its audio file or private download link. Parents should also check permissions before passing a personal download to a school. Ask through our Help Center if you need clarification about a particular title or proposed use.
School-device and offline playback steps
- Confirm the school is authorised to download or store the recording on the intended device. Ask school IT which local folder and audio player are approved, and whether cloud syncing or shared access must be disabled.
- On the approved device, open the purchase’s download instructions and save the supplied audio file to the agreed local folder. If the download is a ZIP archive, extract it first. Do not bypass school security controls.
- Open the audio in an approved player compatible with the supplied file format. If playback is blocked or the format is unsupported, ask school IT for assistance.
- Before class, disconnect from the internet and test the saved file, seeking, volume and speakers. A download link or streaming preview alone does not confirm offline access.
- Keep stored files accessible only to authorised users. Avoid automatic uploads to shared folders. Follow school retention procedures and the permissions that apply when moving or deleting copies.
If you cannot locate the download or it will not open, contact the Help Center with your order number, title, device and error message. Do not send passwords or publish your download link.
First Nations stories and cultural protocols
For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander stories, identify and acknowledge the storyteller, people and Country where this information is supplied. Present the recording in its specific context, not as representing every First Nations community.
Preview cultural notices and sensitive content, including possible names or voices of deceased people. Seek guidance from your school’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander education staff and appropriate local community representatives where needed. Respect community-specific restrictions and do not assume that buying a recording authorises adapting, retelling, recording or publicly sharing cultural material. Do not ask students to speak for a community.
Use the AIATSIS guide to evaluating and selecting education resources when assessing suitability. AIATSIS also explains why recordings of deceased people may be culturally sensitive.
Audiobooks to explore
Preview these titles and assess their suitability for your students. These suggestions are not curriculum endorsements or additional usage permissions.