The development of both the materials for an intermediate-level hybrid German writing course and the software in a virtual learning environment for the course may be viewed as activity systems. Viewing the individual components of each system as interrelated enables us to conceptualize the complexities of the development process, which goes well…

Most currently available computer-assisted language learning offerings fall into three categories: instructional, collaborative, and facilitative. Each is described and cost-effective approaches to using them are noted. (Contains two references.) (LB)

Question and answer column about the CD ROM medium discusses: (1) optical storage devices available; (2) language teaching applications; (3) types of courseware available; (4) costs to hook up a CD ROM drive as a peripheral to an existing system; (5) how to go about developing and mastering a disk; and (6) mastering and replication costs.…

Describes the challenges faced and solutions adopted in adapting the multimedia-rich "Varietes de francais" CD-ROM program to operate on the World Wide Web. The program runs locally to retrieve media resources, perform intelligent answer processing and data collection, and turns to the Web only when necessary for data transfer, external Web links,…

A study (n=181 college students) examined effects of lexical ambiguity in computer-assisted language learning (CALL) on beginning second-language learners, focusing on whether personality type affects retention of second-language vocabulary independent of translation issues and in an ambiguous CALL context. Findings support the need for beginning…

This paper discusses issues surrounding the development and implementation of Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL) at the curriculum- and program-levels. The Japanese program at the University of Alberta has introduced CALL courseware in language courses including those with multiple sections. An evaluation was conducted at the initial…