Corporate FAQs

Have questions? Read through our FAQs below. Still can't find an answer? Visit our support page for order-related inquiries, help with your Transparent Language product, or to simply contact us.

How will our workforce benefit from language learning resources?

Language and culture skills are critical in today's global business environment. They enable organizations to expand to fresh markets and develop new partnerships. They enable employees to collaborate across locations and develop more meaningful relationships. Additionally, many organizations are trying to create more globally-minded cultures. Offering a language program sends the signal that a company values personal growth and international opportunities.

Language is a big space; what solutions do you offer?

We provide three programs to help companies and other organizations address their language learning needs:

  • Self-guided language learning – A corporate subscription to Transparent Language Online provides web-based access to highly effective language learning for employees across a wide range of languages.
  • Live online instruction – Our Transparent Connect service pairs learners with experienced instructors in our virtual classrooms. Classes can be arranged for groups of employees or individual learners, such as executives who need targeted, intensive training. Instruction can be tailored to meet your company or industry's unique requirements.

These programs can be used individually, or they can be combined at a bundled rate for greater effectiveness.

What languages do you provide resources for?

Transparent Language Online includes access to over 105 different language courses: www.transparent.com/corporate/language-learning-online.html

Why are your solutions different from others?

Traditional language training programs are lengthy, inflexible, and don't develop professional capability. Our web-based technology and virtual instruction focus on producing professional-level language and culture proficiency in a cost effective way. We develop skills more quickly and reliably, and we do so for a wider range of languages than anyone else.

We differentiate ourselves in three key ways:

  • In addition to supporting more languages, Transparent Language Online also provides more learning material and activities in each language. Each language course contains over 2,300 unique words and phrases. This vocabulary is organized into lessons with a wide variety of engaging learning activities, all presented with native speaker pronunciation. The breadth of learning material and variety of activities means that all levels of language learners are covered with Transparent Language Online.
  • We cover all four language skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Would you ever buy a math tutoring system that left out addition? Of course not. Transparent Language Online is the only major language learning system that actually teaches learners the alphabet and how to type in the language.
  • We help customers sustain what they learn. Without practice, newly acquired language skills quickly disappear. Transparent Language Online's learned words and phrases refresh system is designed to keep that from happening. The refresh algorithm keeps track of when a learned word or phrase becomes "Stale" or is at risk of being forgotten. The best thing about it? Users don't need to track anything. The program handles all of the Fresh and Stale words and phrases, allowing users to focus on what's really important – mastering more of their new language. In this way, Transparent Language Online is designed to be not only a language-learning tool, but also a system for lifelong sustainment.

For additional details and product-specific comparisons, see our overviews of Transparent Language Online compared to offerings by other companies like Rosetta Stone, Mango Languages, and Duolingo.

Do you have English (ESL/ELL) learning material?

We build courses for English beginners as well as intermediate and advanced English learners. The beginner material is built using a paired approach, leveraging the learner's native language. The intermediate-advanced material is taught using just English. It helps learners develop conversational skills, cultural awareness, vocabulary, and pronunciation. The course is organized around useful, real-life topics like navigating the work environment, getting a job, building relationships, and handling money. Each lesson is built on a conversation, and learners listen to native speaker audio before practicing and recording their own pronunciation of the English phrases. For more information, please visit www.transparent.com/corporate/english-learning.html

Will employees become fluent?

Let's face it: language is hard. If you need fluency, you are likely going to hire a person who already speaks the language. Given this fact, why invest in language skills for your employees? First, even the most basic language skills foster rapport with people from different backgrounds. Encouraging awareness for and sensitivity to other cultures facilitates success with business partners and customers. Though many international exchanges are conducted in English, a few words of greeting or thanks spoken in a person's native language can make a big difference. Second, your employees will gain a critical foundation in language. They will gain basic communication skills or will improve from whatever point at which they begin. The amount of progress depends greatly on the individual student. We provide the tools necessary for students to dramatically improve their language skills, and a motivated individual who uses the courseware regularly is going to achieve solid grounding in a new language.

What if my employees already have some language skills and just need to improve on what they already know?

We have proprietary courses and tools designed to refresh, maintain, or increase existing language proficiency. The Learned Vocab refresh system acts as an adaptive repository for every word and phrase a learner has ever encountered. Additionally, learners may skip content or activities that cover material they've already mastered, and they can hone in on the material most relevant to their current needs.

Do your programs work on any type of computer?

Our language learning technology works on both PCs and Macs, and it can be used with all major browsers. Please contact us for specific system requirements.

Do you have resources that my employees can use in a disconnected environment, while traveling, for instance?

Our Transparent Language Online system gives all users free access to mobile apps for both Android and iOS (Apple) devices. Learners can download lessons and material, including material assigned by Transparent Connect instructors, from Transparent Language Online for use on the go and while disconnected.

Which skills are developed in this program? What if employees only need to acquire certain skills, like speaking and listening?

Our technology and live instruction courses support the full spectrum of skills (speaking, listening, reading, and writing). However, they can easily be modified to focus on specific language skills, and learners can select the activities most appropriate to their skill needs. Live-online courses can be tailored to specific skill development.

Do you have content specific to corporate functions and environments? Do you have industry-specific content?

Our self-guided materials contain business-related learning material, such as money and finances; relationship building; and office terminology. Live instruction courses can be tailored to cover material specific to corporate environments. Industry-specific content, such as "Marketing" or "Metals and Metallic Alloys" can be imported from our online repository of 15,000+ content sets.

What sort of tracking and reporting features do you have?

Our Learning Management System tracks and reports on an extensive range of metrics including holistic usage, usage by language, individual performance, mobile usage, and time on task, among others. Reporting is available 24-7 and can be exported and downloaded.

Could we use your programs within our corporate LMS?

Our technology can be integrated with all major SCORM compliant Learning Management Systems.

Do you have any books or printed materials?

We have a wealth of printable materials such as vocabulary lists, eBooks, and grammar guides.

Do you have live instruction and/or real-time support?

Our Transparent Connect program provides virtual classroom courses and/or online tutoring. Both options cover language, regional knowledge, and culture. All of our teachers are experts in their language and highly trained for web-based classroom instruction. Visit www.transparent.com/corporate/ for more information.

How much do these programs cost?

Pricing varies, based on the size of the organization, the number of learners, and the service/options needed. Our most basic solution can be implemented for as little as $2,000 per year; specific price quotes are available upon request.

Do we pay per user? What if we want to make this available to all employees?

We provide two models for licensing our technology: individual user seat licenses and community licensing. Under a community license, all employees within a company, division, or agency have access to the Transparent Language Online system. Companies generally find the community license more economical if over 10% of employees will use this resource. By eliminating the administrative cost of managing seat licenses and encouraging use by any member, organizations ultimately realize a greater value for their investment.

What are the bandwidth requirements for Transparent Language Online?

Transparent Language Online is no different than any other web-based site, such as a news site, which also offers resources varying from text to videos. The amount of resources our application will consume varies depending on if the learner is viewing grammar videos, flipping flash cards, or simply returning to a cached page containing text resources. It would be safe to say the facility can support the same number of learners using Transparent Language Online as web browsers they support during the day.

What type of technical support is provided?

To support users in getting started and beyond, Transparent Language Online includes a number of instructional aids, such as a robust help system, tutorial videos, screen overlays, and onscreen instructions. Technical support for end users is available via toll-free phone and email M-F 9am-5pm US Eastern time. Email cases and in-product web form submissions are generally responded to within 24 hours. Transparent Language will provide designated administrators with high priority email that will be available 24/7/365. Email is regularly monitored by Transparent Language personnel during regular business hours and during off hours. An extensive knowledge base and support contact form can also be found on our website.

Where can I find information about your accessibility support?

For an in-depth look at the listing of the WCAG 2.0 criteria for software applications and web sites with our current assessment of Transparent Language Online status for each criteria, you can read our WCAG information in our knowledge base.

A VPAT is also available for download.