Abstract: An interactive learning system used for learning an application program, such as a word processing program, provides three basic types of instruction including interactive audiovisual lessons, reference information, and practice in using the actual application program being learned. The reference information may include relatively detailed reference information, relatively brief reference information, and customized reference information generated via an electronic clipboard. The subject matter of the application program is subdivided into different subject matter areas or units, and the user of the system may select to receive lessons relating to any of the units. The interactive learning system provides three learning paths, one of which comprises completing all of the lessons in a unit and then using the features of the actual application program relating to the unit that was just completed to reinforce the instruction received by the user.