Six prototypes were developed and tested in a dozen or so American institutions over twenty years. An additional three years were taken in the hunt for funding and in contract negotiations. In all, over three hundred people worked on this project either in the States or in France. Well, let's look at some of the general notions upon which the course is based. The medium that answered these questions was the soap.
Soaps have the ability of hooking people.
There is satisfaction in seeing the same people week in week out, in following their adventures. Though the focus in FiA is on two young people, Mireille and Robert, Mireille's family is always in the background and introduces people of all ages. This makes the story more 'realistic' and interesting. The soap format with which TV viewers are familiar enables the teacher to stop at the critical moments. It creates suspense between episodes and this maintains the students' interest.