The Language Laboratory

The Department of Languages and Literatures has one multimedia language laboratory. The laboratory, which is located in Carman Hall, Room B-37, has twenty-eight networked computers and software programs that correspond to the texts used to study the languages taught at Lehman. The computers in this laboratory have high-speed connection to the Internet, sound cards, headsets, CD/DVD players, and microphones. In addition, a set of special software programs from Tandberg is installed: Imperata, Divace Solo, and Library Pilot.

• Imperata is used for classroom management. It can be used to monitor student activities, provide mouse/keyboard control/collaboration between a pair of student computers, and share individual computer screens. Additional features include the creation of special files called electronic portfolios. An electronic portfolio contains all of the elements an instructor requires to conduct class sessions in a computer lab: a view of the classroom; lesson plan objectives; relevant links to the Internet or other shared directories; the ability to upload files/folders; and the operations used for managing a classroom in a computer environment.

• Divace, which stands for Digital Interactive Audio Video Recorder, allows students/instructors to play audio/video and also to record and author their own audio material.

• Library Pilot currently functions as a database for online links to language-related websites.

These computers are also linked to a digital video server; students can study from the language software stored on the server and digitally record their voices for oral and audio practice. Accommodation is provided for visually impaired and disabled students. Zoomtext, used to magnify text, is installed on one computer. The software Jaws, used by blind individuals, is installed on one computer. One computer station is designed to accommodate an individual using a wheelchair.