Native Resolution (fwd link)

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Native Resolution

by Chris LaVigne, 13 Jan 2009 6:03 am

At first glance, Don Thornton's virtual world looks like many others. It's when
you listen that you notice the big difference: All of the characters speak
Cherokee, and if you want to succeed in this world, you have to learn to speak
the language, too.

To create this unique program, Thornton combined his background in native
language education with a technology developed to teach Arabic to American
soldiers in Iraq. Called RezWorld, the game blends a Second Life-style
presentation with advanced artificial intelligence, speech recognition and
self-adapting instruction. By immersing Native Americans in their traditional
languages and customs, Thornton hopes to teach them how to preserve parts of
their culture in danger of dying out.

Access full article below:
http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/issues/issue_184/5652-Native-Resolution