In this chapter, 48 language learners' perceptions towards the presence of captions at the first listening (i.e. the while listening stage) in an IME that aimed to enhance the language learners' listening skills as a part of learning English as a second language were investigated. The language learners were autonomous intermediate (and upper intermediate) non-native speakers (NNSs). The results reveal that captions should not be available at the while-listening stage in IMEs for FLL/SLL. The availability of the captions at the while-listening stage in IMEs for FLL/SLL seems to make language learners rely on captions. Instead, the unavailability of the captions at the while-listening stage in IMEs for FLL/SLL seems to: (1) help language learners to focus on listening texts, (2) encourage language learners to try to understand listening texts without captions help and (3) encourage and motivate language learners to listen to / view the listening texts more.
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In terms of FLL/SLL, there are advantages of captions whether they are presented with conventional materials or in interactive multimedia environments (IMEs) (Perez et al., 2014, 21-43; Winke et al., 2010, pp. 65-86;, Kothari et al., 2002, pp. 55-66; Linebarger, 2001, pp. 288-298; Türel, 2003; Garza, 1991, pp. 239-58) although this might not always be the case (Başaran & Köse, 2013). IMEs enable materials writers to design captions in a wide range of ways (i.e. optional, compulsory, unavailable at one stage and available at another, colour-coded, complete or incomplete, chunk by chunk or as a whole, below, on or above the video stage; Türel, 2004, pp. 166-74). IMEs also provide an easy and instant access (ibid: 2004, p.131). As a result, captions in IMEs are likely to be inefficiently used when they are not designed effectively (Pujola, 2002, p. 252).