Research pertaining to adult second-language learning from television is reviewed. It is proposed that course design and marketing must begin with considerations of basic factors such as students' needs, nature of the target language, the uses to be made of the language, and the linguistic skills being taught. Decisions can be made best by keeping in mind the linguistic and cultural distances between the student and the target language, and by recognizing the uniqueness of language learning. The review is intended to assist in planning for the acquisition, development, or enrichment of courses. Information is presented under three headings: (1) what is meant by "learning a second language"; (2) learner's needs and backgrounds; and (3) course design. A variety of sources were examined, including TVOntario research reports on adult second-language courses, recent periodical literature on teaching and learning a second language, and related distance education research. Recent television language courses were examined and professionals in the field were contacted. (MSE)