A study was conducted at Milwaukee Area Technical College to determine if a relationship could be established between improvement in speaking and listening intelligibility and the deliberate structuring of a semiformal atmosphere in communication classes. Students with ACT composite scores below 13 were offered courses specially designed to remedy their linguistic and mathematical problems. In the fall semesters of 1971-72 and 1972-73, students in two of these communication skills sections were tested with a Speech and Listening Intelligibility exam. The two control groups engaged in formal classroom activities, while the experimental groups met in an informal class setting where there was an opportunity for them to become acquainted with one another. In the posttesting situation, using the same exam, the experimental group students spoke clearly and with confidence. They seemed to have a rapport with one another that was not evident in the control group. In general, experimental group students exhibited a marked increase in both listening and speaking scores during the semester, while control group students exhibited a decrease in scores. Statistical data are included. (TO)