(a) “Distance education” shall be used interchangeably with “correspondence courses” and includes all education in which instruction does not take place in a traditional classroom setting but rather through other media where the teacher and student are separated by distance or by time. Distance education courses approved by the commission shall be completed within one (1) year of the date of enrollment in order for continuing education to be granted to the licensee. Distance education may include, but is not necessarily limited to, printed materials, computer based materials and on-line materials.

(b) A distance education course using printed materials may be approved by the commission if:

(1) Students will be provided a manual or other printed material;

(2) A comprehensive course outline, requirements for successful completion of the course and information regarding availability of faculty to students are provided;

(3) It contains at least six (6) written exercises that are to be submitted periodically to the instructor, graded and returned to the student; and

(4) If the class provides more than eight (8) hours of credit, a comprehensive final examination or equivalent measure of achievement is executed prior to the sponsor submitting the roster to the commission indicating successful completion of the course for any and all students.

(c)

(1) A distance education course using computer-based or online materials or formats may be submitted to the commission for analysis and possible approval if the course is certified by the Association of Real Estate License Law Officials (ARELLO) or other certifying body at the discretion of the commission, as to technology, support of the technology, interactivity and course design.

(2) The commission shall review these certified courses on a case by case basis to determine whether the curriculum will meet commission education requirements.

(3) Any course that would provide more than eight (8) hours of continuing education shall include a final examination that shall be executed prior to submission to the commission for education credit.

(4) Approval of a course under this subsection (c) will be automatically withdrawn should certification by the respective certifying body be discontinued for any reason.

(d) Any distance education version of the basic principles of real estate course required of applicants for an affiliate broker's license under § 62-13-303 shall include at least one (1) student interaction with a commission-approved instructor for every five (5) hours of credit.