While computer assisted language learning (CALL) has
been shown to succeed mainly with problem learners, few
Canadian studies to date have detailed any
substantial or sustained use of CALL in this
context. Our learners are several cohorts of francophone
adult learners in the east end of Montreal who have
returned to school after some time in the workforce only
to run up against a 'wall of English' - a mandatory
English examination standing between them and their high
school diplomas. Traditional self-paced language
learning materials have not been successful with most of
these learners. We have developed a Web-based system for
multimedia materials development that provides them
instead with a rich, varied, yet focused multimedia
exposure to real English at the learners’ own pace and
interest level. We report on learner situation and
needs, several iterations of both system design and
materials development, initial results, and the
expansion of our approach beyond its institution of
origin.