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USAIC&FH (U.S. Army Intelligence Center and Fort Huachuca) is working on several language-related initiatives designed to support MI linguists. The Advanced Individual Skills (AIS) Language Team provides development, enhancement, and sustainment training in language proficiency programs for MI Corps linguists. The Team is also involved in some projects that will offer Ml soldier-linguists the capability to achieve technical foreign language sustainment while at their units. These include distance learning language instruction, a technical language evaluation and training support package for linguists, and a language homepage on the Internet. These products will aid linguists and their units--both Active and Reserve Component-in maintaining and improving their valuable skills.
Foreign Language Instruction Via Distance Learning (FLIDL)
The AIS Language Team in the USAIC&FH Directorate of Continuous Learning has contracted with the University of Arizona (U of A) to develop a technical language distance learning program. The program will provide Ml linguists with the ability to sustain their technical foreign languages without having to leave their units. We chose Russian as the proofof-concept language due to the availability of both linguists and subject matter expertise.
The U of A program developers wrote the web-based, interactive program with eight separate modules that include technology, economics, science, society, culture, military, security, and a summary module. Each module contains five lessons that enhance the soldier-linguist's technical language skills of listening, reading, writing, speaking, translation, interpretation, information extraction, and "gisting." Linguists interact daily with the instructor and other students by E-mail, audio conferencing, and Internet chat boards. Russian linguists will be able to access the...