NAC645.443. Approval of distance education course.

     1. A person who requests approval of a distance education course must demonstrate to the satisfaction of the Commission that the proposed distance education course satisfies the following requirements:

     (a) The course must be designed to ensure that students actively participate in the instructional process by utilizing techniques that require substantial interaction with the instructor, other students or a computer program. If the subject matter of the course is such that the learning objectives for the course cannot be reasonably accomplished without direct interaction between the instructor and the students, the course design must provide for such interaction.

     (b) If the course does not provide students with the opportunity for continuous audio and visual communication with the instructor during the presentation of the course, the course must utilize testing and remedial processes appropriate to ensure mastery of the subject matter of the course by the students.

     (c) If the course involves self-paced study, the course must be designed so that the time required for a student of average ability to complete the course is within the number of hours for which the course is approved, and the sponsor of the course shall utilize a system which ensures that students have actually performed all tasks designed to ensure participation and mastery of the subject matter of the course by the students.

     (d) The proposed methods of instruction used in the course must be appropriate to the proposed learning objectives of the course, and the scope and depth of the instructional materials must be consistent with the proposed learning objectives.

     (e) The sponsor of the course shall provide appropriate technical support to enable students to complete the course satisfactorily.

     (f) An approved instructor must be reasonably available to respond timely to questions asked by students concerning the subject matter of the course and to direct students to additional sources of information. For the purposes of this paragraph, a response by an approved instructor shall be deemed timely if the response is made within 2 business days after the question is submitted.

     (g) The sponsor of the course shall provide students with an orientation or information package which contains all information that the Division requires to be provided to students and all necessary information about the course, including, without limitation, information concerning fees and refund policies, subject matter and learning objectives, procedures and requirements for satisfactory completion, any special requirements with regard to computer hardware and software or other equipment, and instructor and technical support. The sponsor shall make available to students technical support relating to the use of any computer hardware or software, or other equipment or technology needed to complete the course.

     (h) The sponsor of the course shall utilize procedures which reasonably ensure that a student who receives continuing education credit for completing the course actually performed all the work required to complete the course. If the course involves independent study by students, such procedures must include, without limitation, the opportunity for direct contact by the sponsor with the student at the student’s home or business via the telephone or electronic mail and a signed statement by the student certifying that he or she personally completed all course work. The sponsor shall retain such signed statements and records of student contact together with all other course records the sponsor must maintain.

     2. A sponsor seeking approval of a computer-based distance education course must submit a complete copy of the course to the Division in the medium to be used and, if requested, must make available, at a date and time satisfactory to the Division and at the sponsor’s expense, all equipment and software necessary to enable the Division to review the course. In the case of an Internet-based course, the sponsor shall provide the Division with access to the course via the Internet at no charge at a date and time satisfactory to the Division.

     3. In determining whether to approve a distance education course pursuant to this section, the Commission will consider whether:

     (a) The course consists of at least 3 hours of instruction;

     (b) Students are required to complete a written examination proctored by a person acceptable to the Division or using a secure electronic method acceptable to the Division; and

     (c) The course is presented by an accredited college or university that offers distance education in other disciplines, or whether the course design and method of delivery has been accredited by an accrediting agency which accredits distance education and which is approved by the Commission. For an accrediting agency to be approved by the Commission for the purposes of this paragraph, the accrediting agency must use the following considerations when making its determination on whether to accredit a distance education course:

          (1) The mission statement of the sponsor of the course;

          (2) The minimum design of the course and the procedures for updating the course;

          (3) The interactivity of the instruction with the students;

          (4) Whether the instruction provided in the course teaches mastery of the course material;

          (5) The support services that are available to students;

          (6) The medium through which the course is delivered to students;

          (7) A time study of the range of instructional hours for which a course should be approved or accredited;

          (8) For each module of instruction, whether there is:

               (I) At least one learning objective for the module of instruction;

               (II) A structured learning method to enable the student to achieve each such learning objective;

               (III) A method of assessment of the student’s performance during the module of instruction; and

               (IV) A method of remediation pursuant to which a student who, based on the assessment of his or her performance, is determined to be deficient in his or her mastery of the course material may repeat the module until the student understands the course material; and

          (9) Whether a complete syllabus or student manual, or both, for all courses or programs is provided in written form and includes accurate and clearly stated information about admissions, progression, completion, criteria, dismissal and any applicable licensing requirements.

     (Added to NAC by Real Estate Comm’n by R031-04, eff. 11-30-2004)