Characteristics of a communicative program are offered from the perspective of a college level program in Montreal. Discussion of syllabus design, materials, and methodology resulted in the realization that truly authentic communication in the classroom requires the careful design of the learning environment. Within the learning environment a complex pattern of relationships is woven to create a context within which exchange occurs. That pattern derives from language input, the process of interaction, and the demands of the task. The input must be intellectually stimulating and relevant to the learners, and of sufficient complexity to motivate them. Students need to discuss the input in large or small groups; in other words, interaction must occur. Tasks in a communicative classroom are multi-leveled; they must be designed so that students can build their repertoire of skills in order to deal with both input and interaction. The focus in this particular program is on information; tasks facilitate information gathering and sharing. Materials generally focus on topics of current interest and make large use of authentic sources. An example taken from a beginner's class illustrates the way an information relaying task contributes to communicative language learning. Examples of information retell tasks are appended. (AMH)