This presentation gives a general review of the Modern Languages Project and outlines tasks of the working groups during the conference at which the report is presented. Underlying the project is a conviction that the ability to communicate freely with other human beings is a basic human right; therefore, people must be afforded the opportunity to learn the language skills they need to exercise this right. Another important understanding of the project has been the concept of learner autonomy. The general approach is communicative language learning, the principles of which are set forth. A second component has been the specification of objectives consonant with a learner-centered, communicative approach. Two aspects of the project's work on objectives have become widely known, namely the introduction of the notional-functional syllabus and the application of that approach to the definition of a threshold level of language proficiency. It is noted that if the project's decision to give priority to interpersonal communication as a learning objective is adapted by member countries, the implications for teaching and learning are considerable. (AMH)