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Regular Substantive Interaction (RSI) is a key requirement for online courses, ensuring meaningful engagement between instructors and students. RSI involves frequent, instructor-initiated communication through methods such as discussions, feedback, instructional content, and interactive activities. This engagement is essential not only for student success and retention but also for meeting federal and accreditation standards for distance education. Maintaining RSI helps create an interactive and supportive learning environment, fostering student participation and accountability.
Not very familiar with RSI? Have questions regarding your own practices? Don't feel like reading through a bunch of regulatory papers? Checkout the Google NotebookLM built on RSI specifically for OUR faculty. All RSI documents including local, state, federal, and accreditation have been added for you to query. You will also find a podcast on all of this if you want a high-level overview.
Explore the CVC page below to learn more about RSI guidelines, best practices, and compliance strategies.
CVC Online Course Design Standards
The Online Education Initiative (OEI) Course Design Standards ensure that online courses are accessible, engaging, and pedagogically sound, directly impacting student success and retention. Research from the California Virtual Campus (CVC-OEI) shows that courses aligned with these standards consistently achieve higher student success rates—up to 4.9% higher than non-aligned courses. For specific populations, it can increase success by up to 22%. By focusing on clear navigation, accessibility, regular interaction, and equity-based design, these standards create a more inclusive and effective learning environment. Implementing OEI-aligned practices helps students stay engaged, reduces barriers to learning, and increases their likelihood of course completion.
ACCJC Quality Continuum Rubric for Distance Education - This website explains some of the updates that the ACCJC is implementing regarding accreditation standards for distance education. Note that the update now includes regular substantive interaction is a key piece of the rubric.
Title 5 Update Summary
Key Provisions Related to Distance Education:
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Definition and Application (§55200): Distance education is defined as instruction where the instructor and student are separated by time and/or distance and interact through technology. This includes various technologies such as the internet, audio conferencing, and other media. Importantly, distance education must comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, ensuring that all instructional materials are accessible to students with disabilities.
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Course Quality Standards (§55202): Courses offered through distance education must maintain the same standards of quality as in-person classes. This includes ensuring that course content, rigor, and learning outcomes are equivalent, regardless of the delivery method.
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Instructor Contact (§55204): There is a requirement for regular and effective contact between instructors and students, as well as among students themselves. This contact can be synchronous or asynchronous but must be substantive and consistent. The regulation emphasizes that correspondence courses, which lack regular interaction, are not considered distance education.
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Separate Course Approval (§55206): Any course that includes distance education components must have a separately reviewed and approved addendum to the official course outline of record. This addendum must detail how the course will achieve its outcomes through distance education, ensure regular and effective contact, and comply with accessibility requirements.
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Faculty Preparation (§55208): Instructors teaching distance education courses must be prepared to do so in a manner consistent with local district policies and negotiated agreements. This includes being trained and competent in delivering instruction through distance education methods.