BBC English, the language-teaching arm of the BBC World Service is launching its first interactive videodisk course, The European Connection, to teach Business English (CI No 1,269). The English-German course has been developed jointly by BBC English, which was responsible for course content, the Vektor Ltd spin-out from Lancashire Polytechnic which developed the software programming and interactive course design and IBM UK which provided the advice on implementing the software. The actual development of the course took around nine months, though the overall development period lasted about three years, and cost between UKP300,000 and UKP400,000. The program is targeted at the corporate market and goes on show initially at the Frankfurt Book Fair this month. Versions in other European languages are planned. The course is designed for language acquisition and practice for elementary to advanced students, enabling them to work independently and at their own pace. A minimum of 80 hours’ intensive learning is available. The hardware required is a PS/2 Model 30 or IBM AT-alike and a LaserVision-standard videodisk player (the whole hardware kit costing around UKP3,000); the software will be priced at approximately UKP10,000. The course structure comprises four main modules: drama, which is broken into 19 chapters of typical business situations, including specialised words and phrases; video and audio interviews with an additional pronouncing dictionary of business language in British and American English; and telephone exercises. The business conversations are in English and can be viewed with or without English or German subtitles. The speech can be manipulated to be played continuously at natural speed or broken into segments, and phrases and sentences can be selected or repeated instantaneously at any time. The audio or visual channels may be studied individually, and non-verbal language can be viewed. Although non-standard English is emphasised, role models are available for correct pronunciation. It is hoped that the course will be useful for European businesses in the 1990s and possibly for schools as well. IBM will be introducing its LTS 90, an interactive video workstation, in Germany to help sell the product.
