This project developed computer-based language teaching software to assist beginning second language learners develop listening comprehension skills. Students interact with computer-based simulations of real world problems, which require their understanding of oral language provided by the computer system. The project embraced a communicative approach to language teaching and learning that placed language learning in a task-oriented, problem-solving, communicative context. It also embraced programming by rehearsal in which teachers utilize a theatrical metaphor (teacher as director) to develop novel simulations within the object-oriented authoring component of the computer tutor system, LingWorlds. The project's target population was 2100 undergraduate students beginning foreign language study in several language departments (Romance, Germanic, Russian, Japanese, Mandarin, and the American Language Institute) at the University of Oregon. LingWorlds is detailed in the project description. The end result of the project is the creation of an intelligent computer-assisted instruction system. (Contains 48 references.) (Author/JP)