In distance education courses, “regular and substantive interaction” (RSI) refers to consistent, quality engagement between a course’s instructor and the students taking the course. RSI compliance is required by the U.S. Department of Education as part of Title IV, which allocates student financial aid and federal education funds.

RSI Basics

Below is a brief description of each component of RSI:

• Regular interaction is met through routine, predictable communication between the instructor of a course and students enrolled in that course.
• Substantive interaction involves direct, meaningful exchanges that promote active learning, deepen knowledge, and create a supportive digital learning environment for course participants.

For more information on meeting RSI requirements in a distance education course, please see the Introduction to Regular & Substantive Interaction (RSI) Teaching Resources Article.

Additional Resources

For additional assistance, please contact the LearnTech Help Desk at learntech@ncsu.edu or (919) 513-7094, or via the Get Help form on the DELTA Knowledge Base.