REGULAR AND SUBSTANTIVE INTERACTION AND EQUITY
Regular and Substantive Interaction (RSI) is a core component of effective online and hybrid teaching. At its foundation, RSI reflects intentional instructor presence through meaningful communication, guidance, and feedback that supports student learning throughout a course. Equally important, RSI plays a significant role in promoting equity in learning environments. Consistent and purposeful instructor interaction helps ensure that all students receive clear guidance, timely feedback, and opportunities to engage with course content. When interaction is structured and predictable, students are better able to understand expectations, navigate the course, and seek help when challenges arise. In practice, equitable RSI means designing courses where instructor presence is visible, communication is consistent, and instructional support is accessible to all students. Rather than relying on students to initiate contact or self-advocate, equitable course design ensures that interaction is built into the learning experience. In this topic, you will explore different forms of instructor interaction that support both regulatory expectations for RSI and inclusive, student-centered teaching practices. You will also examine how intentional interaction can strengthen student engagement, persistence, and success across diverse learning contexts.
myPATH Presentation – (Required Reading/Viewing):
Presentation: RSI and Equity
Supplemental Reading – (Required Reading/Viewing):
ACCJC Quality Continuum Rubric for Distance Education
ACCJC’s Policy on Distance Education and Correspondence Education
Pilot DE Assessment Tool for Peer Reviewers: PDF File | Excel File Download
Additional Resources – (Optional Reading/Viewing):
RSI and Accreditation FAQ – Professor Matthew Moony, SBCC
ACCJC Addendum to the Protocol for Distance Education Review
Distance Education Assessment Tool for Peer Reviewers (Example)
ACCJC Distance Education Review FAQ (November 2024)
ACCJC May 2025 Distance Education RSI Webinar Transcript
Video: May 2025 Distance Education RSI Webinar
Responses to Questions from the May 2025 RSI Webinar.
Regular and Substantive Interaction Update: Where Do We Go from Here?
Regular & Substantive Interaction.
RSI-focused webinars from CVC @ONE
The Art of Connection: Building Effective Regular Substantive Interaction
Regular Substantive Interaction in Online Courses
Harnessing the Power of Student Feedback
Research on regular and substantive interaction (RSI) in online education consistently emphasizes that accreditation standards—particularly those associated with regional accreditors like ACCJC—require demonstrable, instructor-initiated engagement rather than passive content posting.