Regular Substantive Interaction
Regular Substantive Interaction (RSI) is a federal requirement for distance education courses that ensures meaningful and consistent engagement between instructors and students and distinguishes distance (both synchronous and asynchronous) education from correspondence education. It's designed to maintain the quality and academic integrity of online education and is necessary for courses to be eligible for Title IV financial aid.
Regular Substantive Interaction
Definition: The institution will (a) provide opportunities for substantive interactions with the student on a predictable and scheduled basis commensurate with the length of time and the amount of content in the course; and (b) monitoring the student’s academic engagement and success and ensuring that an instructor is responsible for promptly and proactively engaging in substantive interaction with the student when needed on the basis of such monitoring or upon request by the student. (Higher Education Opportunity Act, Pub.L. 110-315, 122 Stat. 3078, codified as amended at 34 C.F.R. §600.2).
Criteria to Meet RSI Guidelines
Instructor Qualifications
- Instructors must meet the qualifications established by the institution’s accrediting agency.
- Teaching and Graduate Assistants must also meet the qualifications if they are involved in instruction, grading, or facilitating breakout sessions.
Substantive Interaction
- Instructors must engage students in teaching, learning, and assessment activities consistent with the course content; and
- At least two of the following activities must be included in each course:
- Providing direct instruction (synchronous online courses only; recorded lectures do not meet this criterion.)
- Assessing or providing feedback on a student's coursework (automatic feedback does not meet this criterion.)
- Providing information or responding to questions about the content of a course or competency.
- Facilitating group discussions regarding the content of a course or competency; or
- Offering regularly scheduled office hours or other scheduled instructional activities approved by HLC or the program's accrediting agency.
- Instructors must monitor each student's engagement and success, following up with students as needed or upon student request.
Implementing RSI Online
The online course syllabus should clearly outline:
- Types of interactions students can expect
- Frequency of these interactions
- Response time expectations for student inquiries
- Office hours scheduled
- Feedback timeline for assignments
- Methods of communication (e.g., email, discussion board, video conference)
Regular Interaction
An institution must ensure regular interaction between a student and an instructor by:- Providing the opportunity for substantive interactions must interact with students on a predictable and scheduled basis.
- Interactions must be commensurate with the length of time and the amount of content in the course or competency; and
- Monitoring the student’s academic engagement and success and ensuring substantive interaction with the student when needed on the basis of such monitoring, or upon request by the student.
Sample Syllabus Statements
Instructors may use or adapt the following sample statements in their syllabi:
- "In this course, you can expect regular and substantive interaction through weekly live sessions every Monday at 10 AM, where we will discuss course content and answer questions. Additionally, I will provide feedback on assignments within 48 hours of submission. Office hours are scheduled for Wednesdays from 2 PM to 4 PM."
- "To ensure a rich learning experience, this course includes bi-weekly discussion forums where participation is required. I will also provide detailed feedback on your projects within one week of submission. My virtual office hours are available every Friday from 1 PM to 3 PM."
- "This course will feature a combination of recorded lectures and live Q&A sessions every Thursday at 3 PM. You will receive feedback on quizzes and assignments within three days. I am available for one-on-one consultations during my office hours on Tuesdays from 11 AM to 1 PM."
- "Regular and Substantive Interaction (RSI) in this course is achieved through various activities:
- Weekly discussion boards (initial post by Wednesday, responses by Friday)
- Bi-weekly synchronous sessions (Tuesdays, 8-9 PM EST)
- Monthly one-on-one progress meetings (scheduled individually)
- Instructor feedback on assignments (within 5 days of submission)
- Email responses (within 48 hours)
- Instructor will proactively contact students who fall behind in coursework or show signs of disengagement."
Common Pitfalls to Avoid
1. Relying solely on automated feedback systems
2. Inconsistent communication or long periods without interaction
3. Focusing interactions only on course logistics rather than content
4. Neglecting to update your online syllabus with interaction details for compliance purposes
Does grading count as substantive interaction?
Simply entering a grade does not count. However, providing detailed feedback along with the grade does qualify.
How often should I interact with students?
This varies by course, but generally, some form of interaction should occur at least weekly in a standard-length course.
Can Teaching Assistants fulfill RSI requirements?
TAs should meet RSI requirements, but the primary instructor must also be actively involved in substantive and regular interactions.
RSI Self-Paced Mini Course
Are your online or hybrid courses meeting federal requirements for Regular
and Substantive Interaction? This new, self-paced mini course is designed to help faculty
ensure compliance and boost student engagement.
In just four short modules, you'll learn what RSI is, why it matters and how to easily build it
into your weekly teaching routines, whether fully online or hybrid. The course is
asynchronous, practical and built for busy instructors.