A language program designed to help Soldiers communicate better while in a foreign country is up and running on the Army's e-learning Web site.
Rosetta Stone is immersion-based language software available on the Internet or CD-ROM that uses pictures and audio to simulate the way a person learns their native language.
Fairfield Language Technologies, the developers of Rosetta Stone, announced a $4.2 million contract with the U.S. Army on Sept. 27, 2005.
The agreement makes courses in over 25 languages available via the Internet to both active-duty and Reserve-component Soldiers and Department of Defense civilians.
"Critical foreign language capability and skills are increasingly important to our Army. Rosetta Stone provides the Army with an immediate, interactive language training tool to train our Soldiers, leaders and civilians for operational deployments and professional development," said Brig. Gen. James M. Milano, the Army's director of training, in a press release on Oct. 3, 2005.
Among others, a Soldier can take courses in Pashto, spoken in Afghanistan, or Arabic, spoken in most of the Middle East, and 3rd Corps Support Command Soldiers might be particularly interested in German courses.
Upon completion of each unit, the student will receive a certificate via e-mail for four credit hours from Army e-Learning.
To access the software, log on to the Army Knowledge Online Web site and click on "My Education". This goes to the Army e-learning Web site where there is a link to Rosetta Stone.
Or, go directly to https://usarmy.skillport.com.
Soldiers need to register at the site and get a username and password separate from their AKO account. Once registered, the Soldiers can start learning.
The software uses a non-traditional approach. There is no verb conjugation or memorizing lists of vocabulary words. Instead, the student compares pictures and infers the meaning of the words, just as babies do when they learn their native language.
"To provide U.S. Army personnel around the world with the language instruction they need, the Army sought a proven Web-based foreign language training tool that could teach speaking, listening, reading and writing for a variety of target languages utilizing an immersion methodology," said Tom Adams, chief executive officer of Fairfield Language Technologies in an Army press release.
"We're pleased that Rosetta Stone's philosophy, design and effectiveness are providing the solution they were seeking."
The multi-million dollar contract to provide Soldiers with free access is only available for one year, unless it is renewed. Although $4.2 million sounds like a lot of money, the Army is getting the software at low cost. To buy a CD-ROM package, would cost the average consumer over $300. To get a one-year subscription to the online service would cost about the same.
Other government agencies including NASA and the U.S. Military Academy already use Rosetta Stone, according to the company.
Soldiers on Logistical Support Area Anaconda who have used it say it's a good program and it's helping them make headway on learning difficult languages.
Soldiers can start learning a new language wherever they can find an Internet connection. The software requires Shockwave to run.