蘑菇传媒

What is Regular and Substantive Interaction (RSI)?

RSI, or聽Regular and Substantive Interaction, is part of the definition of distance education from the US Department of Education and is the difference between online courses (distance education) and correspondence courses. A critical aspect of this issue is that students can use Federal Financial Aid (Title IV) for distance education courses that include 鈥渞egular and substantive interaction鈥� but cannot for correspondence courses.

What is the final definition of distance education in聽?

1. Education that uses one or more of the聽迟别肠丑苍辞濒辞驳颈别蝉听listed聽in paragraphs (2)(i) through (2)(iv) of this definition to deliver instruction to students who are separated from the instructor or instructors, and to support regular and substantive interaction between the students and the instructor or instructors, either synchronously or asynchronously.
2. 罢丑别听迟别肠丑苍辞濒辞驳颈别蝉听that may be used to offer distance education include:
   1. 罢丑别听internet;
   2. One-way and two-way transmissions through open broadcast, closed circuit, cable,聽microwave,聽broadband lines, fiber optics, satellite, or wireless communications聽devices;
   3. Audio conferencing; or
   4. Other media used in a course in conjunction with any of the technologies listed in聽paragraphs (1)(i) through (1)(iii) of this definition.

1. For purposes of this definition, an聽颈苍蝉迟谤耻肠迟辞谤听is聽an individual responsible for delivering course content and who meets the qualifications for instruction established by the institution鈥檚 accrediting agency.
2. For purposes of this definition,聽substantive interaction聽is engaging students in teaching, learning, and assessment, consistent with the content under discussion,聽and also聽includes at least two of the following:
   1. Providing direct聽instruction;
   2. Assessing or providing feedback on a student鈥檚聽coursework;
   3. Providing information or responding to questions about the content of a course or聽competency;
   4. Facilitating a group discussion regarding the content of a course or competency; or,
   5. Other instructional activities approved by the聽institution鈥檚聽or program鈥檚 accrediting聽agency.

1. An institution ensures聽regular interaction between聽a student and an instructor or instructors, prior to the student鈥檚 completion of a course or competency:
   1. Providing the opportunity for substantive interactions with the student on a predictable and scheduled basis commensurate with the length of time and the amount of content聽in the course or competency; and
   2. Monitoring the student鈥檚 academic engagement and success and ensuring that an 颈苍蝉迟谤耻肠迟辞谤听is responsible for promptly and proactively engaging in substantive聽interaction with the student when needed,聽on the basis of聽such monitoring, or upon聽request by the student.