According to Clark (1983), there is no consistent evidence to prove that media can benefit learning and instruction. Media are only "vehicles that deliver instruction but do not influence student achievement" (p. 445). However, there have been several studies and articles on the positive influence of hypermedia and multimedia on second language learning and instruction.

Liu and Reed (1995) conducted a study to investigate the impact of hypermedia-assisted instruction on sixty-three English-as-second-language (ESL) students' language skills. The students' level of vocabulary improved significantly from pre-test to post-test and to retention when using Hypermedia-Assisted-Vocabulary-Learning Courseware and thus, it was concluded that this program was effective in enhancing the learning environment.

The Teacher's Partner , an interactive video program, was tested on first and second level high school French students. It showed an increase of communicative discourse by a teacher and students when used by the teacher in the classroom (39 percent increase in French I and 55 percent in French II). The teacher in the study pointed out that the segmentation and control features in the multimedia program were key to improving classroom interaction and language proficiency (Johnston 1995).

The Critic's Corner (Nicholas 1993) and Ça Continue (Lyman-Hagar 1995) are two other software programs used in college level foreign language curriculums which have offered anecdotal research on the effect of multimedia on second language learning. The former has been observed to be successful in developing student-directed discourse in Russian and motivating students to excel. Lyman-Hagar also suggests that a multimedia program can enhance student interest and language learning.

Salomon (1979) suggests that the qualities attributed to different media may influence learning. One attribute of most multimedia software programs intended to increase second language proficiency is the transcript displayed below the video segment. In other words, this captioning functions as a coding element of the system system that defines this type of medium.

Garza (1991) conducted a study in order to evaluate the use of target language sub-titles (captions) as an instructional tool to facilitate the use of authentic videos in the foreign language classroom. For students of both English and Russian, data strongly supported a positive correlation between the presence of captions and increased comprehension of the target language.

Borras (1994) also provided data using a multimedia software package called Practicing Spoken French to support the use of subtitling to develop language proficiency. According to her findings, subtitles had a significant effect upon oral communicative performance and on attitude.

A third study showed the positive effect of subtitles on learners of a second language. According the Vanderplank (1988), observations and feedback from ESL students in Finland showed that uni-lingual sub-titles (captions) helped learners in the language acquisition process by providing them with comprehensible input. Sub-titling, in addition, added confidence and security to the viewer, thus creating a low affective filter (Kraschen 1982) which motivated them to continue watching and encouraged them to extend their intake of the language.

The significant effect of subtitles support Salomon's (1979) theory of how media system systems and coding elements influence learning. The transcript of the aural source in a video may facilitate the learner's association of the aural with the written. Giving the learner control over the subtitles may internalize this coding element (Borras1994).

According to recent research, the potential of multimedia to play a major role in foreign language learning and instruction is vast. Teachers have begun to apply multimedia programs to the creation of a learning environment for the development of all skills in the foreign language curriculum. Nevertheless, due to the issues of cost, software availability, and teacher training, the development of multimedia's potential is still in the early stages. Much more research still must be done in order to fully understand the ways in which the computer can impact on learning and cognition in facilitating second language learning.