Regular & Substantive Interaction (RSI)
Regular & Substantive Interaction (RSI)
Embedded Files
Distance Education Definition Clarification
Distance Education Definition Clarification
Per U.S. Department of Education regulations (34 CFR 600.2), all distance education courses must incorporate "regular and substantive interaction between the students and instructor" (RSI) to remain compliant.
RSI compliance distinguishes the status of courses between distance education and correspondence courses. Correspondence courses are not eligible for financial aid. Institutions risk losing access to student financial aid if the institution is audited by the US Department of Education’s (DoE) Office of Inspector General, or as part of a periodic Departmental financial aid program review, and found to be out of compliance. Institutions may be required to repay financial aid associated with the correspondence courses and students.
Although RSI is a federal regulation, it aligns with effective instructional practices. RSI is essential because it keeps students engaged, helps clarify uncertainties, promotes deeper understanding of the material, and allows instructors to gauge student progress and provide necessary support. In online teaching and learning environments of any kind, (asynchronous, synchronous, blended/hybrid), regular and substantive interactions must:
Be with an instructor as defined by the institution’s accreditor.
Be initiated by the instructor.
Be scheduled and predictable.
Be academic in nature and relevant to the course.
Be a substantive interaction, which (assumes instructor-initiated academic interaction that is scheduled and predictable and) engages learners in teaching, learning, and assessment, consistent with the content under discussion, and also includes at least two of the following:
Providing direct instruction (i.e., live synchronous online interactions where the instructor and learners are present online at the same time);
Assessing or providing feedback on a student’s coursework;
Providing information or responding to questions about the content of a course or competency;
Facilitating a group discussion regarding the content of a course or competency; or,
Other instructional activities approved by the institution’s or program’s accrediting agency.
Ensuring RSI at GateWay Community College
Ensuring RSI at GateWay Community College
To ensure RSI is demonstrated at GateWay Community College, educators teaching online are to complete the following:
Complete the RSI Acknowledgement Course in the Employee Learn Center
(pending) Complete the Prepare to Teach Online course in Canvas to familiarize yourself with GWCC's expectations and best practices for online teaching.
(pending) Import the unpublished RSI module into each course and use it to help align and document RSI within that course.
Documenting RSI with the RSI Module
Documenting RSI with the RSI Module
What is the RSI Module?
The RSI Module is designed to help instructors document and align course activities with RSI requirements. It provides a simple way to demonstrate how your online course incorporates meaningful instructor-student interaction while supporting quality online teaching practices.
How does the RSI Module work?
The RSI Module is imported into your online course and remains unpublished, meaning it is visible only to you and not to students.
The module contains two pages:
Information & Instructions – Definition of RSI requirements and how to use the module.
Course Evidence – Where you link the RSI elements occurring in your course.
On the Course Evidence page, you will find a table aligned with RSI requirements. You will simply add links to course elements that demonstrate the RSI requirement. Examples include:
Communication policies in your syllabus
Weekly announcements
Discussion activities
Assignments with instructor feedback through SpeedGrader
Other examples of regular and substantive instructor-student interaction
Once you have linked your evidence, you're done! The module serves as a centralized record of RSI evidence while allowing you to continue teaching as you normally would with confidence that your course meets RSI expectations.
Follow the instructions linked below to download the RSI Module and Import it into each of your courses.
Frequently Asked Questions on RSI
Frequently Asked Questions on RSI
What qualifies as “regular” interaction?
What qualifies as “regular” interaction?
According to RSI, "regular" interactions are described as being initiated by the instructor and being scheduled & predictable.
The following examples are recommended practices by the CTLED to meet "regular" interactions under RSI:
Weekly announcements that may discuss previous topics, trends in assignments, and/or key concepts
Holding virtual office hours at consistent times
Scheduled feedback on assignments, discussions, and/or assessments
What qualifies as “substantive” interaction?
What qualifies as “substantive” interaction?
The interaction must be academic in nature and include activities like direct instruction, feedback on coursework, answering content-related questions, facilitating discussions, or other accreditor-approved instructional activities.
Below are some examples:
Posting weekly announcements that introduce the new week's module topic and connecting with the previous week's topic and/or course objectives
Using speedgrader in Canvas to provide personalized feedback on a student's assignment
Facilitating discussion boards and participating to encourage deeper learning and dialogue within a post
Hosting a virtual exam review to go over commonly missed questions
Checkout our list of more examples of substantive interactions.
Are automated tools like auto-graded quizzes or AI-generated feedback considered RSI?
Are automated tools like auto-graded quizzes or AI-generated feedback considered RSI?
Generally, no. RSI requires instructor presence and engagement unless technology is intentionally used under direct instructor oversight in a way approved by accreditors.
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