Regular and Substantive Interaction

The U.S. Department of Education issued Final Rules on Distance Education and Innovation in September 2020, with the rules going into effect on July 1, 2021. The new regulations update the definitions of distance and correspondence education with the intent to provide more clarity on the differences between these two modes of course delivery. The U.S. Department of Education requires that all online courses for which students may use Title IV funds (federal financial aid) include regular and substantive interaction between students and instructors. In short, regular and substantive interaction (RSI) is one of the key elements distinguishing distance education from correspondence education and thus one of the central determinates for students’ ability to use Title IV funds.

There are different approaches and resources available for addressing this requirement:

• Instructor Communication Plan from the Ohio State University

• Luther Rice College and Seminary Guide to Regular and Substantive Interaction in Distance Education

• Regular and Substantive Interaction Overview and Course Design and Delivery Strategies from SUNY Empire State College

• Regular and Substantive Interaction (RSI) Examples from Blue Mountain Community College

• Regular and Substantive Interaction in Online and Distance Learning (The Ohio State University)

• Regular and Substantive Interaction: Regulatory & Pedagogical Implications presentation by WCET (Recording)

Here is a list with some examples of the course design and course delivery strategies for including RSI in online courses.