Six Aboriginal languages have been designated as official languages of the Northwest Territories (Canada) along with English and French. However, more than legislation is needed to support efforts to reclaim Aboriginal languages and culture. Both missionary schools and federally administered public schools (1940s-60s) disrupted the transmission of culture and language from one generation to the next. In the last decade, significant changes have occurred that return control of education to the community level and support development of curriculum and materials in Aboriginal languages. Although Inuktitut is considered a highly viable language across the Arctic, Dene languages are declining in use and need aggressive intervention to ensure their survival. Three types of interventions are particularly critical. First, a new school system must meet the cultural and linguistic needs of children. Such interventions have included Inuktitut immersion programs that incorporate learning experiences from an Inuit cultural perspective, and the Dene Kede curriculum developed under the guidance of elders. Second, adults, especially young adults, must have opportunities and reasons to recover their language and culture. Community-based language and literacy programs in Coral Harbour (Inuktitut), Hay River Reserve (Slavey), Lutsel K'e (Chipewyan Dene), and Rae-Edzo (Dogrib Dene) illustrate factors contributing to success or failure of such programs. Finally, flourishing languages must adapt to new circumstances and technologies. With this in mind, the territorial literacy office has initiated a series of workshops to develop writers and encourage development of a Northern Aboriginal-languages literature. (SV)