WELE: A Platform for Interactive Operational Culture and Language Training

Wele is a prototype Web-based culture and language training platform that helps trainees to quickly acquire and practice cultural skills relevant to operational missions. Trainees can navigate through and view culture and language material presented using a combination of media, and perform exercises that test their abilty to apply cultural knowledge, culminating in simulated cross-cultural dialogs with members of the target culture. It includes speech recognition capability that trainees can use to learn and practice foreign langauge phrases. It is capable of displaying interactive content from Tactical Iraqi and other Tactical Language and Culture Trainers, and offers a potential alternative content delivery mechanism that can operate on a wide range of client platforms. Building on our progress to date in Phase I, we now propose a Phase II effort to transform Wele from a proof-of-concept prototype to a full advanced technology demonstration suitable for transition into operational use. Building on our progress to date in Phase I, we now propose a Phase II effort to transform Wele from a proof-of-concept prototype to a full advanced technology demonstration suitable for transition into operational use.