Copyright: Copyright © 1999 The Learning Company


Communication

The Communication section allows you to practice the vocabulary you’ve learned through a progressive series of exercises.  Communication consists of two types of listening skills exercises and three types of oral/written exercises.

In the listening skills exercises, the coach will say a sentence. You must either correctly click on the picture that best represents the sentence, or on the picture of the person most likely to say that sentence.

1.	When the coach says a word or phrase, click on the picture that matches the word or phrase.  Or, when the coach asks you who said something, click on the picture of who said it.  If you need to hear the word or phrase again, click on Repeat.

To complete the oral/written exercises, you’ll use either your microphone or your keyboard.  In these exercises, the coach will ask you to identify a picture, answer a short question, or provide a word or phrase.

2.	Look at the picture, and either say or type the corresponding word in the target language.  The monitor on the coach's desk will display your score as correct or incorrect.

3.	When the coach asks you a question, answer in the target language by speaking into your microphone or typing in the response.  If you can't answer within a few seconds, the coach will give you a hint.  If you need to hear the question again, click on Repeat.

4.	If you are incorrect, the correct answer will appear in the form of a jumbled sentence.  Click on or say each word in the correct order.  You get three tries to complete the sentence.

When you complete the Communication exercises, you can choose another theme.


Conquest

Conquest is a strategy game that helps you to master your new vocabulary.  To win, you must score 73 or more points by filling in more than half the game board. You gain squares on the board by matching vocabulary words with pictures, either by clicking on the correct picture or saying the correct word into your microphone.

The Options screen appears when you first select Conquest from the Game Room, or when you request a new game from the Conquest Game screen.  Here, you can choose the theme(s) you want to practice and set options for play.

To begin a game:

1.	Choose your play options.

One Player to play against the computer.  Choose Two Players to play against an opponent.

Speak to practice saying words or Listen to practice hearing words.

Normal or Hard for the level of difficulty.

Sound effects Off or On.

2.	Choose a theme.  To deselect a theme, click on it again.

3.	After you select your options and theme, click on Start.

Conquest Game Screen

In the Speak mode, the computer displays a picture, and the current player must say the correct word that corresponds to it. In the Listen mode, the computer shows four pictures and speaks a word. The current player must click on the picture that corresponds to the word spoken by the computer.  If you answer correctly, you get to claim some squares on the board.  The object of the game is to claim as much territory as you can.  The first player to score 73 points wins.

To play:

1.	Speak mode:  When a picture appears, click on Record and say the word in the target language that describes the picture.  The Pass button is visible during Speak mode only.

Listen mode:  When you hear a word in the target language, click on the picture that matches the word.  The Repeat button is available during Listen mode only.

2.	If you answer incorrectly, you lose your turn. You will see or hear the correct answer, depending on the mode you're playing in.

3.	If you answer correctly, four question marks (?) in your color appear on the game board.  The four question marks are placed at random by the computer.

4.	Click on one of the question marks.

5.	Conquest will display a directional control with 5 choices: up, down, left, right, and "no direction."  Pick a direction by clicking on a directional arrow, or for "no direction," click on the X in the center.  (Sometimes it is strategic to pick "no direction.")

6.	Once you have picked a direction, the computer will give you one to four squares in the direction you chose.  The number of squares is chosen at random by the computer.

Unless your squares are anchored, they are vulnerable to your opponent and can be captured.  Your squares are anchored if they are connected in a vertical or horizontal line to one of the four corners of the board, or if they touch another square that you have already anchored.  These anchored squares are yours until the end of the game and cannot be captured by your opponent.  Only anchored squares are counted in scoring.  After each move has been made, the computer will update the game board and the score.

7.	Once a player scores 73 or more, that player wins, and the game is over.  You can click on Options, and Start a new game or exit the game.

Captures

During game play, it is possible to capture your opponent's squares and turn them to your color.  There are two ways to capture territory.

Tight Capture

To complete a tight capture, you must completely encircle your opponent's squares with your own.  There can be no empty spaces inside of a tight capture.  You can also use the edge of the game board to trap your opponent.

Loose Capture

To complete a loose capture, all you have to do is surround any piece of territory on the game board with your anchored squares.  A loose capture can capture your opponent's squares as well as empty squares.


Contacting Technical Support

Should you have any problems with the program, please consult this Quick Study help file first. If you can't find the solution to your problem, contact Technical Support at any of the numbers or addresses listed below. When you call, please have access to your computer and the program version number.

Direct Telephone	1-319-247-3333

Fax	1-319-395-9600

Internet E-mail	help@tlcsupport.com

Compuserve	GO LEARNINGCO

World Wide Web	http://www.learningco.com

Mail	The Learning Company

Attn: Technical Support

Foreign Language Division

PO Box 100

Hiawatha, IA  52233-0100


Contents
Quick Study Spanish Contents

Overview

Speech in the Program

Getting Started

The Rooms

Reference Tools

Troubleshooting

Technical Support


Conversation Lab

Overview

Speech in the Program

Getting Started

The Rooms

Language Studio

Game Room

Conversation Lab

Introduction

Conversation Simulation

Reference Tools

Troubleshooting

Technical Support


Conversation Lab Introduction

The Conversation Lab takes you through simulated conversation experiences that let you practice speaking in real-life situations.  The Conversation Lab also features interesting cultural and travel information.

Cultural Notes and Travel Tips

Click on one of the small monitors beside the main screen to see a narrated cultural slideshow about the land, people, destinations, or tips for traveling in the country or countries that speak the target language.  A navigational control will appear when you start one of the slideshows -- click on the appropriate arrow to stop, play, go forward one, or go back one.

To access the Help Manual click on the Help book.

To leave the Conversation Lab and return to the Lobby, click on the door.

To launch a Conversation Simulation:

1.	Click on the computer terminal on the table in front of the main screen to Start.

2.	Click on one of the three "Conversation Simulations."  Each simulation has three scenarios.  Your goal is to finish all three simulations.

3.	After you choose a simulation, click on one of the three scenarios you see listed.


Conversation Simulation

In the conversation simulation, you will interact face-to-face with onscreen characters to accomplish a series of goals.  Your responses determine the direction of the conversations and how the program moves.  You can repeat the experience as many times as you like and explore the various possible outcomes.

Getting through a scenario:

1.	When you first begin a scenario, your itinerary will appear showing you a list of objectives to accomplish.  Select an itinerary item to go on.

2. 	The Conversation Simulation begins and a character speaks to you.  When the microphone icon appears in the top right corner of the screen, respond by speaking into your microphone.  A red dot appears on the microphone while you are speaking.  The character will reply depending on your response and the conversation will continue.

3. 	If you don't understand something and want to hear it again, you can ask the character to repeat it.

In Spanish, say "¿Perdone?"

In French, say "Répétez," "Pardon," or "Encore une fois."

In German, say "Wie bitte?"

In Italian, say "Prego?"

3.	When you finish a scenario, your itinerary will appear on the screen and each item that you have completed will be checked.  You will also receive feedback on how well you were able to communicate in the scenario.  You can try the same scenario again or choose another scenario.  If you have completed all three scenarios, go on to the next simulation.

Note:  If you have trouble answering specific questions, you may want to jog your memory with the Quick Study Phrase Book included in your package.

Options Icon

When the Options icon appears, you can select it and choose from the following options:

Start Over to restart the simulation from the beginning.

End Simulation to quit the scenario and return to the Conversation Lab.

Itinerary to see the itinerary corresponding to the current scenario.

Help to get help.

Note: 	You can pause the simulation at any time by clicking on the Options icon.


Game Room

Overview

Speech in the Program

Getting Started

The Rooms

Language Studio

Game Room

Introduction

Conquest

Video Match

Music International

Conversation Lab

Reference Tools

Troubleshooting

Technical Support


Game Room Introduction

The Game Room contains three game machines:  Conquest, Video Match, and the Music International Jukebox.  These games give you an enjoyable way to reinforce your new vocabulary and practice the target language.

To choose a game or the jukebox, just click on it.

To return to the Lobby, click on the door.

If you need help, just click on the Help icon.


General Troubleshooting

The technology used to create Quick Study makes considerable demands on your hardware.  As a result, there may be times when things do not perform as they should.  This is a guide to the more common problems that may occur during the installation and use of the program.

The items in bold are problems you might encounter when using or installing the Quick Study program.

The text below the problems describes possible solutions to them.  If you need more assistance or have any questions, call Technical Support.

Try this first!  If you have problems running the program, try cleaning the CD.  Gently remove any fingerprints and dust using a clean, soft, lint-free cloth dampened with water or a CD-cleaning solution.  Avoid using material such as tissue, which may scratch the CD.


Getting Started

Overview

Speech in the Program

Getting Started

The Lobby

Sign In

Meeting the Characters

The Rooms

Reference Tools

Troubleshooting

Technical Support


Grammar Guidebook

You can access the Grammar Guidebook at any time from the Lobby or Language Studio.  The Grammar Guidebook provides grammar information on the vocabulary words used in the program.

To search for grammar information:

Scroll up or down through the grammar topics.  Use the scroll bar or the arrow keys on your keyboard to move through the subjects.

When you select a topic, the grammar information that corresponds to the highlighted subject is displayed.

Click on Print to print out the displayed grammar information.

Click on [image] to return to your last place in the program.

Click on Help to access the Help Manual.

The Grammar Guidebook is linked to the Language Studio.  If you select a word while you’re in the Language Studio and click on the Grammar book icon on the shelf, the program will launch the Grammar Guidebook and display the grammar information that corresponds to the word you selected.


Installation and Startup

Quick Study runs from your hard drive using 60 MB of space for the program files.  These files will be placed on your primary hard disk (C: drive) in two folders.

Installing the Program

1.	Quick Study must be installed within Windows. (At the DOS prompt, type WIN and press [ENTER] to start Windows.)  If you are already in Windows, close any open applications. Here's a good method for doing that:

Windows 95/98

At your desktop, press [CTRL] + [ALT] + [DEL] to view the Close Program window.  Choose the applications to close and click on End Task.  Do not close Explorer and Systray which are needed by the Windows 95/98 operating system.

2.	Insert Quick Study Disk 1 into your CD-ROM drive.

Windows 95/98

Windows 95/98 should autorun Quick Study when you insert the CD in the drive. When the Quick Study title screen appears, click on Install.

Note: You can also install this program by selecting Run from the Start Menu, and then D:\SETUP (if D is the letter of your CD-ROM drive).  Then press [ENTER] or click OK.  Or, in Windows Explorer or My Computer, double-click on your CD-ROM drive, then double-click on the Setup file.  For more information, refer to your Windows documentation. You must start Quick Study from your Windows desktop.

4.	Follow the onscreen instructions to complete the Setup process.  The Setup program creates a program group called The Learning Company on your Windows desktop and places a Quick Study program icon within that group.

QuickTime®

If Setup detects that your system is not running QuickTime version 2.1.2 , the QuickTime for Windows Setup program will be launched.  QuickTime 2.1.2 is required to run Quick Study.  Follow the instructions onscreen to install QuickTime 2.1.2.  When the "Check Existing Versions Conflict" dialog box appears, click on Start.  Remove all older versions of QuickTime.

To Run the Program:

Windows 95/98

2.	Double-click on the Quick Study icon in the Learning Company folder in the Start Menu.

Tips for Running the Program

Do not run any other programs while running Quick Study.

Completely exit Quick Study before returning to Windows.

To run Quick Study, your computer must have at least 8 MB RAM free while running Windows.

Do not press the Print Screen key.


Language Studio

Overview

Speech in the Program

Getting Started

The Rooms

Language Studio

Introduction

Orientation

Situation

Communication

Game Room

Conversation Lab

Reference Tools

Troubleshooting

Technical Support


Language Studio Introduction

In the Language Studio, your personal coach guides your primary language instruction. You progress through interactive lessons that consist of three parts:  Orientation, Situation, and Communication.  Each lesson is designed to help you develop your conversational skills and improve your pronunciation.  You can choose the themes that interest you and work at your own pace.

Click on the Dictionary or Grammar book icons on the shelf to go to the Quick Study Dictionary or Grammar Guidebook.

Click on Help for help on the current section of the program.

Click on [image] to return to the studio.

To return to the Lobby, click on the door.  Remember, to exit the program or enter another room you must always return to the Lobby.

To begin your language instruction:

When you enter the Language Studio, click on the brochure of a theme you wish to explore.  When the brochure opens, choose a category.  The coach will explain the main objectives of the lesson and give you tips for conversation and learning.  (You can click on the coach if you want to skip this introduction.)


Meeting the Characters

Once you sign in, you’ll return to the Lobby and meet the cast of characters with whom you’ll interact throughout the program.

If you’re a new user, the cast will automatically introduce themselves.

If you’re a returning user, you can click on the "Meet the Cast" bar beneath the Quick Study globe on the wall to see characters again.


Microphone Performance

The human speaking voice falls well within the frequency response range of most computer microphones. Therefore, the sensitivity of the microphone becomes the only important issue. We have found that microphones with a sensitivity of -70 to -74 dB work well for speech recognition, especially if they are directional and dynamic. If possible, avoid omnidirectional microphones because they often pick up large amounts of background noise. Here are some things to look for when choosing a microphone:

1.	Sensitivity of -70 to -74 dB.

2.	Directional -- receives sound from one direction instead of all directions.

The most important information regarding your microphone selection is the recommendation of the manufacturer of your computer’s sound card.

Recording Problems

I am unable to use the record/playback feature, or I keep getting judged incorrectly, or I don’t hear my own recording played back.

The program uses Windows' Sound Recorder accessory to record and play back your voice. Problems such as no playback or low volume on playback are normally caused by incorrect settings for the sound card. Also, certain types of microphones may not work properly with your computer. Check your computer/sound card user’s guide to see which microphones are compatible. As a test, complete the following procedure:

Windows 95/98

1.	Click on Start>Programs>Accessories>Multimedia>Volume Control. This will bring up a program called Volume Control.

2.	Click on Options and choose Properties.

3.	Select Recording in the Adjust volume for box. Make sure all items in "Show the following volume controls" are checked, then click on OK.

4.	When the "Recording Control" dialog box appears, make sure Microphone is selected, then raise the Microphone volume and the Master Record volume to their highest levels. Some (but not all) sound cards have advanced controls for the microphone in Windows 95/98.

5.	Click on Options. If Advanced Controls is not checked, single-click on it. (It may be "grayed out" so you can not select it.) If you can select it, an Advanced button should appear somewhere along the bottom of the "Recording Control" dialog box.

6.	Click on Advanced to bring up the "Advanced controls for the microphone" dialog box.

7.	Find Other Controls at the bottom of this box. It will have a check box beside it. (Different sound cards will say different things next to this check box, for example, "1 AGC for Waveln," "Microphone Boost," etc.) Put a check in this box, then click on OK.

8.	Run Sound Recorder by clicking on Start >Programs>Accessories >Multimedia >Sound Recorder.

9.	If you’re still unable to record your voice in Sound Recorder, check the user’s guide that came with your computer or sound card for instructions on how to set up the sound card for recording, or contact the sound card manufacturer for assistance. In order to run correctly, our software requires that Sound Recorder be functional.


Music International

The Music International jukebox is a fun and relaxing way to wind up your studies.  Here you can play songs of the target-language culture and sing along if you like.  Or, you can follow along with the lyrics to further enhance your vocabulary in an enjoyable way.

To play the jukebox:

1.	Choose a song by clicking on its title.  Click on it again to stop it.

2.	Read the text as the song plays.

3.	If you like, sing along! You can either accompany the singers in the program, or turn off their voices and "take the stage" by yourself.

4.	Play the songs as many times as you like, and try turning the following options off or on to direct your practice (you must stop the song in order to switch the options):

Click on Text to show or hide the target language.

Click on Translations to show or hide the English translations.

Click on Voice to turn the singer's voice on or off.


Notes to User

Keyboard symbols such as [ENTER] and [CTRL] refer to the actual keys on your keyboard.

For information on typing special international characters, please refer to Typing Special Characters in this Help file.  You may find it helpful when using the Dictionary, or when typing in responses in the Communication exercises.


Optimizing Performance

QuickTime Video Performance

If the QuickTime for Windows (QTW) movie does not display correctly on your screen, it is because your video card does not correctly support QTW. You can try to solve this problem by adding the following lines to the QTW.INI file located in your Windows directory:

[video]

optimize=driver

OR

[video]

optimize=BMP

If you don't have a QTW.INI file, you can create one using any text editor program such as WordPad.  (WordPad should be located in the Start Menu under Programs, then Accessories, in Windows 95/98.) Open the QTW.INI file in WordPad (or any other text editor), and then type the above lines. Save the file to your Windows directory and name it QTW.INI if it did not already exist.

Windows 95/98 users can also go to Settings > Control Panels from the Start menu.  Double-click on the QuickTime32 icon.   At the bottom of the QuickTime window, click on MORE, and then click on the Video tab at the top.  Under Optimization, in the Draw Method section, click on Video Driver and then Close.  Click Yes when the dialog box asks if you want to apply the changes.  The Draw Methods are listed in order of speed, with the fastest at the top.  Some cards are so fast that the program cannot keep up.  In this case, select a slower Draw Method like Bitmap (BMP).

IBM® computers using the S3 video chip do not use standard video addresses. For maximum speed, QuickTime talks directly to the video card using standard video addresses, therefore, it will not function correctly with the S3 video chip and will cause errors. If you have an IBM computer, such as the Valuepoint, that uses the S3 video chip, you must set "optimize=driver" as explained above.


Orientation

Your coach begins the Orientation by introducing the first group of words and phrases in the target language that pertain to the category you have chosen.  These are presented onscreen along with their English translations.  Pictures are used whenever possible to enhance your memorization.

To learn the vocabulary words:

1.	Click on [image] to hear the current word, phrase, question, or idiomatic expression in the foreign language.  You can also click on an individual word to hear it.

2.	Click on Record and when the microphone icon appears, try to make your pronunciation closely match that of the coach. The speech-recognition gauge will measure how well you pronounce it.  The further the needle is into the green, the better your pronunciation.

3.	Click on the up or down arrows to move to the next or previous word, phrase, or sentence.  Click on the left or right skip arrows to move to the next or previous section.

4.	When you’re done with the Orientation, go on to the Situation to hear the vocabulary words and phrases used in conversation.

To look up a word in the Dictionary or Grammar Guidebook:

Click on a word, then click on the Dictionary or Grammar book icons on the bookshelf.


Performance
Speech Recognition Performance

Recognition can be improved by following a few simple steps:

1.	Make sure the room you're working in is quiet.

2.	Hold the microphone no closer than six inches from your mouth.

3.	Speak in a normal voice. Concentrate on your enunciation. Speaking louder helps some, but not much.

4.	Test your recording level and clarity using the Sound Recorder program that came with your copy of Microsoft Windows. If the playback is too low or unclear, you can expect the recognizer to produce unsatisfactory results.

Note:  Remember, speech recognition is on the cutting edge of technology, therefore, it is not yet perfected. If your friend has difficulty understanding your speech because it is soft or slurred, so will the program.


Printing

All Windows-compatible printers can be used with Quick Study.

When you click on Print in the Dictionary or Grammar Guidebook, you can print out the current onscreen information.

You can also print the Help information.

Should you have problems with Quick Study, please consult this Quick Study help file first.  If you are unable to solve the problem, contact Technical Support.


Program Components

Language Studio

In the Language Studio, you build a solid foundation in the foreign language and begin to develop conversational skills.  The Studio atmosphere is relaxed and allows you to be in control of the sequence and pace of what you learn.  The material is introduced in the context of meaningful conversation situations such as "People," "Getting Around," and "Eating Out."  In the Orientation, the coach presents vocabulary related to each situation, focuses on the most frequently used words and phrases, and encourages you to speak.  You progress from learning words and phrases to understanding full dialogue in the Situation movies.  Finally, you can practice your skills in a series of activities and exercises in the Communication section.

Game Room

In Quick Study’s game room, you can have fun with your new language skills.  The engaging Conquest and Video Match games reinforce learning and make practice fun.  You can practice the material covered in the Language Studio as you compete against the computer or a friend.  A jukebox allows you to listen to the culture’s music and sing along in the target language.

Conversation Lab

In order to improve your foreign language skills, it is necessary to practice speaking as much as possible.  The simulations in the Conversation Lab help you achieve specific communication goals by having actual conversations with onscreen native speakers.  This practice prepares you to communicate well enough to be understood in real situations.  The outcomes of the conversations are based on your responses.


Program Overview

Overview

Quick Study Overview

Program Components

Notes to User

Study Tips

Installation and Startup

Speech in the Program

Getting Started

The Rooms

Reference Tools

Troubleshooting

Technical Support


Question and Answers

1.	How do I close running Windows applications?

Windows 95/98

Press [CTRL]+[ALT]+[DEL] to view the Close Program window and make sure you are running only Explorer, possibly Systray, and any other essential applications.  Choose the applications to close and click on End Task.  Turn off all TSRs, screen savers, virus protectors, and memory managers, and then run Quick Study.

2.	During Installation I receive the error message, "Your INI file cannot be written to!"

The simplest solution to fix the file is to reinstall the Quick Study program using the Setup program on your CD.  Follow the instructions onscreen after launching Setup.

3.	There is a problem writing to the Windows directory.

You do not have enough hard drive space or the program could not find your Windows directory.  Make additional space available by deleting unneeded files.

4.	I get the message "cannot open resource <#>."

Make sure that the correct Quick Study CD is in your CD-ROM drive.  Themes 1-3 and Simulation 1 are on Disc 1, Themes 4-6 and Simulation 2 are on Disc 2, and Themes 6-8 and Simulation 3 are on Disc 3. The other Conversation Lab features and the Game Room features are included on all discs.

If this does not resolve the problem then reinstall the program.  Follow the onscreen instructions after launching Setup.

5.	Just as the program begins, my screen colors change to yellow or pink.

The color palette is being adjusted to suit program needs.  The color will return to normal upon exiting Quick Study.

6.	My computer hangs (stops).

Either your video card driver is out of date, or you are experiencing a memory problem.  Follow the instructions for #7 below.  You might also need to reinstall QuickTime.  This can be done by running the Quick Study installation again.  Follow the instructions onscreen after launching Setup.

7.	How do I test if my video card driver is out-of-date?

Many problems are caused by outdated video card drivers.  Since video card drivers are updated frequently, it is not uncommon to have an outdated one.  A video card driver is a piece of software that communicates between Windows, its associated programs, and the actual video card hardware.  As there are many different video cards on the market, the best solution for Windows 95/98 users is to contact your video card manufacturer.

8.	I am unable to use the record/playback or speech recognition feature.  What's wrong?

Recording problems with Quick Study or Sound Recorder are usually due to the input levels of the microphone being set too low in the sound card software or the microphone is not selected in the mixer control panel.

Windows 95/98

If you are getting a low recording level, make sure the Automatic Gain Control (AGC) is turned on as follows:

From the task bar, select the Volume Control program found in Start > Programs > Accessories > Multimedia.

When the Volume Control window appears, choose Properties under the Options menu.

Select Recording in the Adjust volume for box, and click on OK.

Go back under Options and choose Advanced Controls.

Click on the Advanced button in the microphone area.

If there is an AGC for Waveln or Mic Boost checkbox under Other Controls, make sure it is checked.

With newer sound cards, make sure you check the Recording Source under Options > Properties > Recording.  Sound cards with mixers sometimes use the Line-In of the sound card for input instead of the Microphone connection.

9.  In Music International, I cannot hear my voice when I sing along.

Windows 95/98

From the task bar, select Start > Programs > Accessories > Multimedia > Volume Control.  Increase the volume for the microphone input and decrease the volume for the wave source.


Quick Study Dictionary

You can access the Quick Study Dictionary from the Lobby or Language Studio.  Here, you can search for target-language vocabulary words, see their translations, and hear their pronunciations.  You can search by typing a word or a word fragment, and click on the word to hear it spoken aloud.  You can use the Dictionary in either your native language or the target language.

The Dictionary also includes an audio Pronunciation Guide that allows you to hear the sounds represented by single letters and letter combinations in the target language. Each letter and letter combination is presented by means of a word that uses it – just click on the entry to hear it spoken. The Pronunciation Guide is listed in the Dictionary topics, and is fully searchable.

To search for a word:

Type a word in the Search For box.  The Dictionary begins searching as soon as you begin typing.

To search by topic(s):

Scroll up or down through the topics.  Use the scroll bar or your arrow keys to move through the words or topics.

When you select a topic in the Topics window, a list of words for the selected topic appears. If you select more than one topic, all the words for the selected topics are shown.  If you select All topics (the default), then all the vocabulary words are shown.

You can view the Dictionary in either the target language or in English.  Click on the appropriate button to switch the language direction.

Click on any Dictionary entry to hear it spoken aloud.

Click on Print to print out the list of words for the current topic selection.

Click on [image] to return to your last place in the program.

The Quick Study Dictionary is linked to the words in the Language Studio.  If you select a word in the Language Studio, and then click on the Dictionary book icon on the bookshelf, the Dictionary will display the definition and translation of the word you selected.


Quick Study Overview

Quick Study is a highly interactive educational product for developing foreign language skills.  It is intended for anyone who wants to learn a new language quickly and easily, or brush up their existing foreign language abilities.  In particular, the program teaches strong conversation skills: speaking and listening; as well as reading, vocabulary, and grammar.  Its engaging, interactive style makes learning easy and pleasant. Learning takes places in three locations:  Language Studio, Game Room, and Conversation Lab.   Right from the start, in the Language Studio, students are actively involved in communicating, as they first learn vocabulary and phrases and progress to full dialogues which are presented in meaningful situations. In the Game Room, students further develop their confidence in languages while enjoying games that reinforce what they learned in the Language Studio.  Students then make their way into the Conversation Lab where they put to use their communication skills and actually determine the outcome of a situation by what they say in an actual conversation with an onscreen character!

The program contains options to address different learning styles and skill levels.  You can hear words, phrases, and sentences at normal or slow speed, get English translations, see word meanings, or look up grammatical explanations.  Your speaking ability and confidence will greatly improve through state-of-the-art speech-recognition technology that understands and evaluates your pronunciation.  The advanced record and playback feature lets you compare your voice to native speakers’ voices, and helps you develop conversational skills. Using new conversation-branching technology, you can practice your language skills in actual conversations with onscreen native speakers.


QuickTime Troubleshooting

Following are some problems that you may experience when using QuickTime for Windows:

Q.	When I play the movies, I hear the voice, but the picture doesn't change or there are no pictures in the movie box.

A. 	Your QuickTime needs to be reinstalled.

To reinstall QuickTime in Win95/98:

1.  Insert the Quick Study Disc 1 in the CD-ROM drive (if it autoruns, click on Exit).

2.  Click on Start > Run.

3.  Type D:\QTW32|QT32.EXE in the open line ( if D = the drive letter of your CD-ROM).

4.  Click on OK and follow the prompts to reinstall QuickTime. Delete all old versions found by the installer.

Q.	The sound is choppy or non-existent in the program, but plays fine in Movie Player.

A.	You may need new drivers for your sound card. If it's a SoundBlaster16, download the most up-to-date drivers from www.creaf.com.

Q.  I have OPTIMIZE=DRIVER in my QTW.INI file. Now the video is slow and choppy.

A.  Because the video is now being processed by the software instead of directly by the hardware, your video is slower, and essentially has turned into a slide show instead of a video. Obtaining an up-to-date video driver from your video card manufacturer will eliminate the need for OPTIMIZE=DRIVER and will improve your video.

Special Note:

QuickTime Video and Director are relatively new to the PC platform and due to the demands on the technology, most video card companies have recently released new video card drivers.


Record/Playback

The record/playback feature is available in the Language Studio Orientation.  Use the record/playback feature to practice your listening and speaking skills in the program.  Practice repeating words and sentences, then play them back to compare your pronunciation to that of the native speaker.

To record and play back your voice:

1.	After listening to a word or sentence, click on Record.

2.	Repeat the word or sentence into your microphone.  Try to make your pronunciation closely match that of the native speaker.  The red dot on the microphone icon appears while you  record your voice.  Recording stops automatically when you stop speaking.

3.	To play back your recording, click on Your Voice.  You can record and play back your voice as many times as you like.

Checking the Recording Level of Your Microphone

The recording level of your microphone affects the volume of your recordings.  Refer to your sound card volume mixing program regarding input and playback levels of the recordings.  You must be able to record with the Windows Sound Recorder, which is usually found in the Accessories group.


Reference Tools

Overview

Speech in the Program

Getting Started

The Rooms

Reference Tools

Quick Study Dictionary

Grammar Guidebook

Typing Special Characters

Printing

Troubleshooting

Technical Support


Reinstalling Quick Study

If you had trouble with a prior installation, follow these tips before reinstalling:

1.	Turn off all background programs that are not required to run Windows. To see what background programs are running, do the following:

Windows 95/98

Press the CTRL-ALT-DEL keys. This will bring up the "Close Program" dialog box. Some of the programs you will see listed may be add-ons for the video card, anti-virus software, telephone software, etc. To minimize conflicts, try to make this list as small as possible by turning these applications off.  Highlight the application in the list and click on End Task. Do not close Explorer, Systray or other essential programs which are needed by the Windows 95/98 operating system.

2.	Disable your screen saver. If the screen saver activates during the installation of our software, it could create a problem with the speech recognition installation.

Important Note: Certain computers come installed with alternate desktops (Compaq Tabworks, Packard Bell Navigator, Hewlett-Packard Personal Page, AST Desktop, Acer Computer Explorer, Norton Desktop, Norton Navigator, Dashboard). Due to the complexity of our software, alternate desktops will not always install our software properly. If you installed the program through one of these alternate desktops and are experiencing difficulties, the solution may to be to disable the alternate desktop, and remove, then reinstall, our software. Because of  the differences between these alternate desktops and Microsoft Windows, we are unable to provide support for our software under these desktops. If you wish to run our program through an alternate desktop, please contact the manufacturer that supports your desktop.


Reinstalling QuickTime

Windows 95/98

Click on Start, choose Run, then click on Browse. Click on the down arrow at the end of the "Look in..." line and change the setting to your CD-ROM drive (be sure Disc 1 is in the CD-ROM drive). Now, double-click on the QTW32 folder that appears in the large box, double-click on the QTW32.EXE file, and then click on OK. The QuickTime installer will now install QuickTime to your system. If it finds other versions of QuickTime on your system, click on Remove to remove the other versions so there won't be any version conflicts.


Removing Quick Study

Use the uninstall utility in the program for best results.  If you are using Windows 95/98, from the Task Bar select Start > Settings > Control Panel > Add/Remove Programs.  Click once on Quick Study to highlight it, then click on the Add/Remove button.    Make sure that you highlight Quick Study and not another program.


Sign In

When you click on the sign-in registry in the Lobby, the Sign In screen appears.  Sign In allows you to enter your name or select it as a returning user.  It is also used to add or remove user names.

To sign in for the first time:

1.	Click on New User.

2.	Type in your name in the highlighted field and click on Start.  You can type up to 15 characters (including spaces) in this field.

To enter the program when you have already signed in:

Click on your name in the list of users, then click on Start.  Use the up and down arrows to move through the name list.

To cancel sign in and return to the Lobby:

Click on [image].

To remove a name from the users list:

Highlight the name you want to remove, then press [CONTROL] + R.


Situation

In the Situation, you observe conversations between native speakers in real-life conversation situations using movies of the current category.  You can listen to the dialogue at normal or slow speed.  You can also choose to show or hide the target language or the English translation.

To do the exercise:

1.	Click Play to watch the movie and listen to how the words are used in a real-life situation.

2.	Go back and listen scene by scene.

Use the left and right arrows to move backwards and forwards in the movie on line at a time.

Click on [image] to hear the line.

Click on Translations to see the English translation.

Click on Text to see the text in the target language.

Click on Speech to hear the words spoken very slowly and distinctly. Click on Speech again and highlight Normal to go back to normal speed.

3.	When you are ready, go on to Communication to test your comprehension.

To look up a word in the Dictionary or Grammar Guidebook:

Click on a word, then click on the Dictionary or Grammar book icons on the bookshelf.


Speech Recognition

Quick Study uses state-of-the-art continuous speech recognition; that is, it recognizes your responses even if you’re not entirely accurate.  This technology evaluates your pronunciation and lets you know how well you’re speaking in the new language, so you can build confidence in your ability to communicate.

In the Language Studio, the speech recognition feature uses a pronunciation gauge to show you how well you pronounce the target language.  In the Conversation Lab, speech recognition lets you interact with onscreen characters in real conversations.  The Quick Study characters actually respond to you depending on what you say -- just as in real life.  Thus, a question posed to you might be phrased in a number of different ways, and you can reply in a number of different ways.  Your reply determines the direction of the conversation.

Quick Study uses the most advanced speech recognition technology available in the world.  The speech recognition "engine" does not require any user calibration.  You don't need to 'train' the engine to your voice.  You can start using our speech recognition right from the box.

The speech recognition engine offers continuous-mode speech recognition.  That means you don't have to click on a Record button to start the recognition process.  This function is demonstrated in the Simulations in the Conversation Lab.  Finally, the speech recognition engine provides a varying degree of recognition.  You don't need to match exactly the phrases or words that the engine is listening for.  The engine can determine individual words spoken from a phrase.

Speech Recognition Tips

The speech-recognition feature is very advantageous in helping you refine your pronunciation of the target language.  With this advanced technology, you don’t have to speak the new language with a perfect accent in order to be recognized.  However, you will need to speak clearly and include all of the sounds that are in a particular word or phrase.  Just like when you speak in a foreign language to a person, you may have to say a word more than once to be understood.  The following tips will help you get the most benefit from the speech recognition capability:

1.	When selecting a microphone, the main consideration is that it works well with your sound card.  Refer to your sound card documentation for recommended microphones.

2.	Make sure your microphone is properly plugged in and turned on.  Insert the microphone plug into the microphone input jack, usually marked "mic in" on the sound card.  If the mic input jack is not marked, check in your sound card instruction manual to determine the correct input jack.

3.	When you begin recording your voice, make sure the room is quiet.  Hold the microphone 6-12 inches from your mouth and speak in a normal voice, concentrating on your enunciation.  Speaking louder doesn’t significantly affect the result.

4.	If you do not get recognition results, test the recording level and sound quality using the Sound Recorder program that came with your copy of Windows.  Adjust the microphone level to achieve the best sound recording.

Note:  If you don’t get good speech recognition results, please refer to Troubleshooting in this Quick Study help file for additional information.


Speech Recognition General Tips

Windows 95/98

If you are getting poor or no speech recognition results and you are running Windows 95/98, make sure that Automatic Gain Control (AGC) is turned on. For SoundBlaster 16™ sound cards and many compatibles, Windows 95/98 sets the AGC to off by default. In order to turn AGC on, you first must make sure that the multimedia software is installed properly on your machine. Then, do the following:

1.	From the task bar, select the Volume Control program found in Start > Programs > Accessories > Multimedia.

2.	Select Properties from the Options menu.

3.	Select Recording under Adjust volume for:

4.	Click on OK.

5.	Select Option and then click on Advanced in the microphone area.

6.	If there is a checkbox labeled AGC for WaveIn or MicBoost under Other Controls, make sure it is checked.


Speech Recognition Troubleshooting

Overview

Speech in the Program

Getting Started

The Rooms

Reference Tools

Technical Support

Troubleshooting

General

Question and Answers

Optimizing Performance

QuickTime Troubleshooting

Reinstalling QuickTime

Speech Recognition Troubleshooting

General

Performance

Microphone Performance

System Requirements

Installation and Startup

Removing Quick Study

Reinstalling Quick Study


Speech in the Program

Overview

Speech in the Program

Speech Recognition

Record/Playback

Getting Started

The Rooms

Reference Tools

Troubleshooting

Technical Support


Study Tips

Quick Study is conversation-based and designed to build listening and speaking skills quickly.  This new method of multimedia language learning emulates the natural way a language is learned, through practice in speaking as well as listening.

Begin your studies in the Language Studio, and start with the first theme: "People."  Themes are arranged by situation and not by level of difficulty, this allows you to choose any topic you are interested in.  However, vocabulary items are introduced only once -- when they first occur – and they build in a progressive order from Themes 1-8.

Choose a category within the theme and proceed through the Orientation, Situation, and Communication lesson segments.  When you finish Communication, you will have completed the category.

After you complete all the categories in a theme, go to the Game Room to practice and review the material you learned in the Language Studio by playing Conquest or Video Match.

Finally, enter the Conversation Lab to put your speaking skills to work.  The simulations reinforce material learned in the Language Studio, let you practice conversation-building skills, and give the repetitive practice needed to master the new vocabulary.

Click on the Dictionary or Grammar Guidebook to supplement your studies.

If you have trouble answering specific questions, you may want to jog your memory with the Quick Study Phrase Book included in your package.


System Requirements

Runs on: IBM® PC and compatibles, 486DX/66 MHz or better

With:

Hard disk with 60 MB of free space

Windows 95/98

8 MB RAM required (16 MB RAM recommended)

256-color SVGA

Double-speed CD ROM drive

16-bit 100% SoundBlaster-compatible sound card

MCI sound

Mouse

Microphone


Technical Support

Overview

Speech in the Program

Getting Started

The Rooms

Reference Tools

Troubleshooting

Technical Support

Contacting Technical Support

Technical Support Questionnaire


Technical Support Questionnaire

In order to properly assist you, we need the following information.  Please print and fill out this form before calling Technical Support to make your call go as smoothly as possible.

Manufacturer of  computer  ____________________________________________ (example: Packard Bell)

Model number and processor speed of computer:

____________________________________________________________ (example: Gateway 2000 P5-100)

Amount of RAM installed on computer _______________________________________ (example: 8 MB)

Windows Version ______________________________________________ (example: Win95, Win98)

MAC O/S _______________________________________________________________ (example:  7.5.1)

Name of Program _______________________________________________________________________

Version number of program (from the CD, not the package) _________________________ (example: 6.0)

Video Card manufacturer _________________________________________________ (example: Trident)

Colors and resolution you are using ________________________________ (example: 640x480, 256 colors)

Sound Card manufacturer _________________________________________ (example: SoundBlaster 16)

CD-ROM drive manufacturer ________________________________________________ (example: NEC)

CD-ROM drive speed ________________________________________________________ (example: 2x)

Exact description of error message or problem and exactly where it occurs:

Completion of the information above will allow us to diagnose your problem properly and suggest solutions more quickly and efficiently.

We are available by phone at 1-319-247-3333,

Monday - Friday from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Central Standard Time.

Our fax number is 1-319-395-9600.

Our Internet e-mail address is help@tlcsupport.com, or you can reach us on the World Wide Web at http://www.learningco.com.


The Lobby

Quick Study begins in the Lobby of the Language International building.  You must sign in to access the Language Studio, Conversation Lab, Game Room, or Quick Study Online.  You must always return to the Lobby before you can enter another room or exit the program.

To enter the rooms:

To enter a room, click on its door.

To access the reference tools:

Click on the Dictionary, Grammar, or Help books.  These references are available at any time in the Lobby.

To go to Quick Study Online (available only if your computer can connect to the Internet; Windows 95/98 version only):

Click on the animated globe on the wall. The program will launch your web browser and take you to the Quick Study Online home page.

To meet the cast of characters:

Click on the "Meet the Cast" bar beneath the globe on the wall.

To exit the program:

Return to the Lobby and click on the Exit sign.  Your progress in the program is recorded when you exit the program.


The Rooms

Overview

Speech in the Program

Getting Started

The Rooms

Language Studio

Game Room

Conversation Lab

Reference Tools

Troubleshooting

Technical Support


Troubleshooting

Overview

Speech in the Program

Getting Started

The Rooms

Reference Tools

Troubleshooting

General

Question and Answers

Optimizing Performance

QuickTime Troubleshooting

Reinstalling QuickTime

Speech Recognition Troubleshooting

System Requirements

Installation and Startup

Removing Quick Study

Reinstalling Quick Study

Technical Support


Typing Special Characters

To type international characters, use the following keyboard tables.  If you have a Windows keyboard with the US-International keyboard driver installed, please refer to your Windows manual for keyboard instructions.   Note:  A plus sign (+) indicates that you must press and hold down the first key, and then press the second key.

To Make:	Do This:

á, é, í, ó, ú	Press [CONTROL] + e.  Then type the vowel.*

à, è, ù	Press [CONTROL] + \.  Then type the vowel.*

â, ê, î, ô, û	Press [CONTROL] + i.  Then type the vowel.*

ä, ë, ï, ö, ü	Press [CONTROL] + u.  Then type the vowel.*

ç	Press [CONTROL] + z.  Then type c.*

ñ	Press [CONTROL] + z.  Then type n.*

ß	Press [CONTROL] + z.  Then type s.

¡	Press [CONTROL] + z.  Then type 1.

¿	Press [CONTROL] + z.  Then type [SHIFT] + ?.

*	To type these characters in uppercase, press [SHIFT] when you type the letter.


Video Match

The Options screen appears when you first select Video Match from the Game Room.  Here, you can choose the number of players and the theme you want to review.

To begin a game:

1.	Set the number of players:  Choose One to play against the computer or Two to play against an opponent.

2.	Click on a theme. You must choose a theme to continue.  Random Theme instructs the computer to choose a theme at random.

3.	Click on Start.

Video Match Game Screen

Your goal in Video Match is to match two lines from a situation dialogue that go together.

To play:

1.	Click on one of the squares on the game board and listen to the dialogue line spoken in the video.

2.	Click on another square to see if the dialogue corresponds to the previous one.

If the videos match, the squares turn into the current player’s color.

If the videos don’t match, they are both hidden again.

3.	Try to remember where the videos are hidden, and repeat the above steps until all the squares matched.  In a two-player game, the player with the most matched squares wins.