Design of multimedia listening software: Unfamiliar items, glossary, aural texts and speech rate

Abstract

This chapter focuses on the principles and guidelines that should be borne in mind when designing and developing some digital elements of interactive multimedia listening software such as ‘unfamiliar items’, ‘glossary’, aural texts’, and ‘speech rate’ in interactive multimedia listening software as a part of second/foreign language learning (FLL). The stages of software design and development are categorized into six separate stages: (1) feasibility, (2) setting up a team of experts, (3) designing, (4) programming, (5) testing, and (6) evaluating. Not only is each stage vital to the design and development process for cost effective multimedia listening software, but the design of each digital element of interactive multimedia listening software at each stage is also fundamental. Therefore, a wide range of principles and guidelines need to be borne in mind at each stage in order to be able to design and develop every single element efficiently.The elements which are the focus of this chapter are:‘unfamiliar items’, ‘glossary’, aural texts’, and ‘speech rate’.