RCI is changing the IT training industry. Our training partner ONLC Training Centers is changing the IT training industry with our innovative Remote Classroom Instruction (RCI™) training solution.

RCI connects multiple locations. RCI blends the best from traditional face-to-face instructor-led training with the latest in conferencing technology, allowing us to deliver live training to multiple locations at one time. RCI is based on our over 25 years experience as trainers and the general premise that the classroom is the foundation of a great training experience.

RCI is growing in popularity. We train thousands of students each year with this technology. Clients like it because it offers them 100% live, instructor led training in a classroom setting without excess travel. In addition, because we are able to combine enrollments from multiple locations in the same class, we've been able to dramatically reduce our class cancellation rate to less than 10%—the lowest cancellation rate in the training industry.

You should note that even though we're combining enrollments from multiple sites for a class, we limit the overall class size. Our typical maximum class size is 12 students. By keeping class sizes small we're able to ensure personalized attention for the student regardless of the instructor's physical location—in the same room, across the country, or somewhere in between.

Frequently Asked Questions about RCI
(FAQs)

Below are some of the most common questions we get about training via Remote Classroom Instruction (RCI).

• Will I be able to see the instructor?

  Each instructor computer is outfitted with a webcam. Most instructors use the camera during the introductions and briefly when coming back from breaks so that you will be able to put a face to the voice. Video of the instructor is not running throughout the course. You will, however, be able to see the instructor's computer screen and the whiteboard work for the duration of the class.

• What if I have a question?

  You simply ask a question as you would in a regular class. Speaker phones and a phone bridge connect all of the remote classrooms with the instructor's location. Sometimes a group in a remote classroom might like to mute the speaker phone so that they can chat amongst themselves during class. When they need to ask the instructor a question, they simply un-mute the phone and speak up.

• What happens if I get stuck in a lab?

  Just ask for help like in a regular class. The instructor is able to see the computer you are accessing and can take control of that mouse and keyboard to provide you with individualized attention and help as needed.

• How many students are in a class?

  For RCI classes as well as our traditional face-to-face events, our typical maximum class size is 12. That's been our standard for almost three decades of training.
  
  In 2009, our average class size was under 7 students. By keeping class sizes smaller we're able to ensure personalized attention for the students regardless of the instructor's physical location in the same room, across the country, or somewhere in between.

• Will I be by myself in an RCI room?

  Our remote classrooms can typically have one to four students in an event. So there is a chance that you will be taking the class with one or more peers, even though the instructor is not physically at the site.

• Can I take training from my home or office?

  Yes, you can attend via RCI from your home or office. When registering, specify "Home/Office via RCI" as your class location.
  
  To attend from your own location you should have at minimum a computer with high-speed internet connection, speaker/hands-free phone and unlimited long-distance.

• Will I need to install software?

  If attending class from one of ONLC's training locations you will not have to install anything. Everything should be set up for you when you get there.
  
  If you attend a class from your home or office, a simple 5-minute installation process for the conference connections will get you up and running. We will communicate all information needed for this process upon registration.

• What if I don't like the class?

  We offer an unconditional money back guarantee. If you are not satisfied with the quality of an RCI class, simply notify the instructor during the morning of the first day of class, return the courseware, and you will receive a full refund for that class.

• How is a RCI class different from a web seminar?

  In a web seminar, you just listen and watch an instructor presentation. You have no hands-on component. In many web seminars, you can't ask questions except for writing chat messages.
  
  In an RCI session you have hands-on access to software for labs and can ask questions freely over the phone. You'll also be able to hear questions posed by other students regardless of their location.

• How is RCI different from other web-delivered computer classes?

  You may have participated in a web-based class where the instructor presents to a group in a web seminar fashion. Sometimes called "synchronous" training, the "live" component of the class is when everyone is connected to the instructor presentation. This live lecture will go on for up to 3 hours with very little "doing" or interaction on your part. During these sessions, an instructor can present to 30 or 40 students because it is mostly one-way communication.

  Then after the lecture, students schedule lab time where they can access servers that have the course software loaded. During the lab time students work independently. They can e-mail the instructor if they have questions or problems during the labs.

  In contrast to other blended solutions, RCI students experience a flow of interaction that is exactly like a regular class. You listen to and watch the instructor. Then you experiment and practice with the software. If you get stuck on a lab, you can ask for help,right then by talking; not by sending an email. You don't have to schedule time for labs,the labs take place while you are in the class.

  Our average class size is small, typically limited to no more than 12 students to ensure personalized attention if it's needed.

• Do people take a second class in this format?

  For many people, RCI is a great solution. We've worked to put the best conferencing technology in place so that you will see very little difference between RCI and a course that has the instructor present in the same classroom.
  
  In 2006 we conducted a survey of RCI participants and asked them if they would take another course in that format. Over 92% said that they would take another RCI course.

• Is RCI right for me?

  The best candidates for an RCI class are those people with strong mouse and Windows skills and who have English as their native language. Is RCI Right for me? for more details or call our toll free number (877.442.3915) to speak with one of our Education Advisors.

• Is there a price difference for an RCI class?

  Even though our costs to deliver an RCI class are higher than a regular class, we do not charge a premium for RCI events.

  If you take a class in a remote classroom, we incur many additional costs. First you are using two computers instead of one (we provide a computer in the instructor classroom and in your remote facility). In addition, we must provide the communications links between the two classrooms (long distance phone lines, a phone conferencing bridge, and high-speed internet connections). Conferencing software licenses on your lab PC and on the instructor presentation machine also have to be purchased. These are the additional “hard costs” to an RCI event. On top of that, there are “soft costs” related to coordinating an event that must link multiple locations.

  None of these added expenses are passed on to the RCI student.