ACORNS Version 4.0 adds significant features to version 3.0. The purpose of the ACORNS project is to support language revitalization efforts of Native American tribes. Hence, its name [AC]quisition [O]f [R]estored [N]ative [S]peech. The software is open source and can be freely used for non-commercial purposes. It conforms to best practice criteria for working with linguistic data, in that it supports industry standard export and import facilities.
The ACORNS program runs on all computer platforms and allows language instructors and students to easily prepare and execute files containing language lessons. The software is intuitive and requires minimal technical training. Each file contains a series of lessons that link together through use of mouse clicks. Presently, the program supports Picture and Sound Lessons, Multiple Choice Lessons, Hear and Respond Lessons, and Hear and Click Lessons.
The Picture and Sound lessons allow you to attach recordings to places on a picture. By clicking on the picture, you will hear the attached sounds. Multiple Choice lessons attach a group of recordings to a series of pictures. The student hears a sound and clicks on the appropriate picture. These lessons are much like those used in commercial language acquisition products. Our country uses this kind of lesson to train our country's diplomats. Hear and Respond lessons contain a recording annotated with text. Students hear the recording and type in blank words or phrases. This type of lesson facilitates comprehension and learning correct spellings. Hear and Click lessons annotate recordings with pictures. Students click on the appropriate picture as the recording plays back. This lesson type is a very immersive way to increase language comprehension.
Language instructors can use ACORNS to easily create and then exectute these lessons. Students can also create lessons as part of class projects. ACORNS supports creating and displaying Lessons on the web, so it is easy to create an on-line library of language lessons. ACORNS has capabilities to remap the Keyboard to any native language font installed in ttf (true type font) format. The new version of the program supports animated GIF pictures, and can decode nine different types of audio formats. ACORNS works on Windows XP, Windows Vista, Linux, and Mac OS systems.
We anticipate version 4.1 release later this year. It will support a talking dictionary capability based on a best practices XML format. In this way, it will be possible to import linguistics dictionaries, and provide dictionary based games.
The author of the original program is Dan Harvey from Southern Oregon University, harveyd@sou.edu. We anticipate that this be a long term development project involving both undergraduate and graduate students. We plan to add many additional features lesson types as the software matures. We welcome and seek your comments and feedback.