The first stage of a 3-part research project designed to assess the appropriateness of using cooperative learning groups in communication courses with a significant oral performance component, a study assessed student perceptions about the appropriateness of using cooperative learning groups in a communication class with more than half of the final grade based on performance in oral performances. Students in five sections of the basic public speaking course taught by three instructors participated. Instructors for each section were given instructions about how to structure cooperative learning groups. A total of 49 useable surveys were collected at the end of the semester, a response rate of 81.6%. Results indicated that students (1) judged the cooperative learning methods used to be effective; (2) felt more prepared as a result of the required practice sessions structured into the cooperative learning group; (3) were actively involved in providing feedback to members of their learning group, and that overall the feedback was judged to be valuable; (4) found the cooperative learning groups to be useful in helping them control their public speaking anxiety; and (5) felt that their competence as communicators generally and public speakers specifically improved as a result of interaction in the cooperative learning groups. (Contains 26 references, 11 notes, and 6 tables of data.) (RS)