§1309. Credit Hours Granted

B. Individual Study Program. The amount of credit to be allowed for correspondence and formal individual study programs is to be recommended by the program developer. These programs shall be pre-tested by the developer to determine the average completion time. Credit will be allowed in the period in which the course is completed as indicated on the certificate of completion.

1. Noninteractive self-study programs shall receive CPE credit equal to one-half the average completion time.

2. Interactive self-study programs shall receive CPE credit equal to the average completion time provided the course developer is registered as an interactive self-study course developer with either the AICPA, NASBA, or a State Society of CPAs, and the developer confirms that the course is an interactive self-study course.

a. An interactive self-study program is one which simulates a classroom learning process by providing ongoing responses and evaluation to the learner regarding his or her learning progress. These programs guide the learner through the learning process by:

i. Requiring frequent student response to questions that test for understanding of the material presented;

ii. Providing evaluative responses and comments to incorrectly answered questions; and

iii. Providing reinforcement responses and comments to correctly answered questions.

b. Ongoing responses, comments, and evaluations communicate the appropriateness of a learner's response to a prompt or question. Such responses, comments, and evaluations must be frequent and provide guidance or direction for continued learning throughout the program by clarifying or explaining assessment of inappropriate responses, providing reinforcement for appropriate responses, and directing the learner to move ahead or review relevant material, It is the response of the learner that primarily guides the learning process in an interactive self-study program. Not all technology based self-study programs constitute interactive programs. Technology based self-study programs must meet the criteria set forth in the definition of interactive self-study programs, as must other self-study programs developed using different modes of delivery.

3. CPE program developers shall keep appropriate records of how the average completion time of self-study programs was determined.