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Rich Internet Applications project helps create tools that engage language learners in active learning.

Mashup is a great tool and the students like it too.

Thanks for posting this; Audio Dropbox would be a useful tool for practicing leaving voicemails, etc.

"Web 2.0 How-To for Educators explores the very best online collaborative tools available today (including blogs, wikis, and social networking) and Web 2.0 applications (Skype, Google Earth, Wordle, and more) that make a difference in education. Using a simple formula for each concept, the book describes what the tool is, when teachers should use it, why it is useful, who is using it, how you can use the tool, and where you can find additional resources. Practical examples from educators around the world offer an abundance of ideas, and the recommendations for further information and comprehensive lists of Web 2.0 tools and applications will be valuable resources as you integrate Web 2.0 technology in your classroom. "

"Over the past academic year, my students and I have been experimenting with the use of a number of web based applications (often known as Web 2.0 tools). My aim has been to enhance our schemes of work by providing our students with new and exciting learning opportunities. In my opinion, using technology effectively has clear benefits for both teaching and learning and can help to improve motivation by engaging pupils in activities which, perhaps, step out of their ordinary school experience and which show them that it is possible to teach and learn about a subject using tools similar to those they use daily outside school. In other words, we have tried to use the types of tools with which they are often already familiar. I have written about each of these individual tools in separate posts, but I thought it would be useful to list the ten most used internet applications on one post. As ever, I aim to provide, not only a list of the web applications we have used, but also examples of practice which you may wish to follow or, indeed, improve upon. Therefore, each of the entries below has links leading to lesson plans which have incorporated the tools as well as working examples of students' work where appropriate. Without further ado, and in alphabetical order, my ten tried and tested internet tools for teachers are:"

from a FL teacher in England - who tries and tests a number of tech tools. Here are his 10 favorite web 2.0 apps.

Abstract: This case study is based on an investigation into the use that a group of language learners made of Livemocha.com, a Social Networking Site through which language exchange is enabled via social media applications. The learners created profiles in the website and proceeded to interact with speakers of their target languages, reporting back on their experiences over a 10-week period. As communication between language partners can take place through several different channels, and can be asynchronous or synchronous, written or spoken, it was considered that the preferences of learners with different personality types (as indicated by responses to a Myers-Briggs Type Indicator questionnaire) might be accommodated. Several studies have suggested that the anxiety that some language learners feel when communicating in L2, especially when speaking, is reduced in online environments. Under the premise that a reduction in anxiety may lead to an increased "willingness to communicate" (MacIntyre et al., 1998), the principal objective of this project was to examine the type and frequency of online interactions that the participants engaged in with other speakers of their target languages in the Livemocha language learning community.

The website says "Set up a voicemail widget on your website or add the voicemail application to your Facebook page" - Like the AudioDropbox, but sends it to your email?

 Focuses on creating a free and open source on-line platform that gathers Information and Communication Technology-based applications and pedagogies to practice oral skills on-line.

One of the applications I tried out was Socrative.  It can best be described as online clickers.  Here is an article that describes it more in detail.  Since I teach at college and EVERYONE has cellphones, it is very easy (and fun) for students to use.  And teachers get immediate feedback!

This is the first in a series - and altho hopefully you're not teaching a MOOC, these differences for teaching online may be applicable.

Calameo is the place to publish and share your documents with your friends. Easily embed rich-media content to your publications like videos and audios." />calaméo

perfectly applicable to language learning

A collection of all sorts of things here - from tech gadgets to apps for iPod Touch, to podcasts for mostly Fr, Sp, Gr, Jpn - but many will be applicable to all languages.  It would take you a long time to look at everything that's here!

He says he will help you make the most of Twitter by using an application called TweetDeck.  He explains how to use TweetDeck in this video tutorial, part 1.  Link to Part 2 included.

ACTFL 2012 Presentation

Overview of Second Life applications in language learning.

I think we are connected, but we could probably share this article with our "unconnected" colleagues!