This paper describes a limited bilingual approach developed for Vietnamese immigrants whose formal schooling had been interrupted due to extended periods in refugee camps, and its implementation in the Milpera Special School (Queensland, Australia), a secondary school for children of Non-English-Speaking Backgrounds (NESB). The initiative was designed to improve students' academic, cognitive, and Vietnamese language skills, self-esteem, and academic English across content areas, after exposure to Vietnamese in some content areas. The program included 7 hours weekly of academic language, world geography, and research skills instruction in Vietnamese and 15-20 hours of content-based English-as-a-Second-Language instruction in a range of secondary school subjects. Topics and processes used were to be parallel in English and Vietnamese to the extent possible. Data on the program's effectiveness were gathered in student and teacher interviews, classroom observation, and student portfolios. Conclusions concerning student attitudinal outcomes and conceptual development, team teaching, parent involvement, subtractive and additive bilingualism, the role of receiver schools, program design, and teaching techniques are drawn and recommendations made for adoption or adaptation of the approach by other secondary schools. (MSE)