SPECIAL NOTICE
R -- Web-Based Language Learning Application?Completion of the U.S.- China E-Language Learning System
- Notice Date
- 1/11/2006
- Notice Type
- Special Notice
- NAICS
- 541611
— Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services
- Contracting Office
- Department of Education, Contracts & Acquisitions Management, Contracts (All ED Components), 550 12th Street, SW, 7th Floor, Washington, DC, 20202
- ZIP Code
- 20202
- Solicitation Number
- Reference-Number-06627538
- Response Due
- 2/9/2006
- Description
- Any questions or comments regarding this announcement should be e-mailed to Deila.Cockburn@ed.gov by January 25, 2006. The deadline for the responses to the two questions (including Statements of Capability) are due on February 9, 2006 via e-mail to deila.cockburn@ed.gov. The U.S. Department of Education (ED) is conducting market research to complete a multimedia web-based English language learning application. The Department has developed the underlying E-Language Learning System (ELLS) which is a web-based application that combines language-learning research with a gaming approach and structured immersion pedagogy to teach English and Chinese as second languages. Information provided will help guide future efforts for development, testing, and evaluation of ELLS. The communication skills of listening and speaking are emphasized. ED wants to ensure that it has the best available technology solutions to test and evaluate this language-learning pedagogy. ELLS is an ED research and development project administered by the Office of Planning, Evaluation and Policy Development, Policy and Program Studies Service. ED has developed this project with the Ministry of Education, People?s Republic of China (PRC), through a 2001 Memorandum of Understanding. Both countries agreed to develop the ELLS application as parallel systems- one to teach English to Chinese speakers and the other to teach Chinese to English speakers. The purpose of this project is to test the effectiveness of a new approach to second language instruction. ED believes that the approach could prove to be an important advance in second language instruction, and, after complete development, intends to conduct a rigorous evaluation of the approach and to disseminate its evaluation findings to the public. Dissemination will occur in consultation with a technical working group to be formed from interested private and public organizations. Information about the system is available online at http://www.chengoresearch.com/. Information Gathering: ED seeks responses to two questions that can be addressed separately or together by the respondents and should be submitted via email by February 9, 2006. Question 1: What new technologies are available to augment or enhance existing features and/or accelerate development and reduce costs ED seeks information on whether there are newer technologies, including commercial-off-the-shelf software (COTS tools), that would enhance or replace the existing application components described below, for the purpose of lowering final development costs, improving functionality and performance, and/or allowing replication to other languages or subjects. Proprietary restrictions should be avoided, as the Department intends to share its testing and development findings with the public that may include information about the technology and software. System features must be 508 compliant, allowing access for physically impaired users. The current web-based system consists of the following components: 1. Application engine; 2. A storyline embedded in Flash animation; 3. Supporting learning resources (such as a multimedia online dictionary); 4. Practice exercises embedded in games; 5. Speech recognition; 6. Database providing system functionality and learning management; 7. Client-side operations; and 8. Server-side operations. The Department?s intent is to advance work of the language learning technology industry. To this end, the Department wants to identify the best way to work with industry so that industry participates in the development and enhancement of the E-Language Learning System and can then use the findings of this research and development effort in future products for the advancement of the field. When responding to this question please include the following: 1) Company Name and Mailing Address; 2) Point of Contact (name, title, telephone number); and 3) A brief description of your experience in developing: web-based applications; multi-media, on-line resources; games; speech recognition; learning management systems, or other technology functionality pertinent to the E-Language Learning System. Question 2: Are you interested in working as part of a consortium that could include diverse partners such as members from information technology and software development companies, language learning experts and industry participants, local and state governments, universities, foundations, etc. who, in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Education, would finalize, test, and evaluate ELLS? ED seeks information from qualified organizations that may be willing to work with ED to finalize, test, and evaluate the effectiveness of the E-Language Learning System. ED seeks information from these members of the private sector and others who are interested in providing additional resources, including technical expertise and financial resources, either individually or as part of a consortium, to support this next phase of finalizing, evaluating, and testing ELLS. In addition to a statement expressing interest in participating in the ELLS project, interested parties are asked to submit a Statement of Capability (SOC) to ED including the following information (if not already provided in response to Question 1): 1) Company Name and Mailing Address; 2) Point of Contact (name, title, telephone number); and 3) A brief description of your experience in developing: web-based applications; multi-media, on-line resources; games; speech recognition; learning management systems, or other technology functionality pertinent to the E-Language Learning System. This announcement is being used to determine if sufficient interest and capability exists regarding potential future solicitations. This notice is provided as information to the marketplace and is an invitation for interest and an expression of interest to partner. Information submitted in response to this announcement may be used as a basis for future solicitations and/or as a basis for more indepth research of an organization?s capability. The Government will not pay for the provision of any information nor will it compensate any respondents for the development of such information. This notice is NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS and in no way obligates the Government to award any contract. ED will not be responsible for any costs incurred in responding to this notice.
- Place of Performance
- Address: N/A
- Record
- SN00964512-W 20060113/060111211739 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
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