Joint team simulations are usually used to allow a team to practice working together. For example, team training simulations at the Payload Operations Center (POC) at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) are held in order to train a POC console position. Typically, these training simulations require instructors to help students operate the control displays, monitor and evaluate trainee's performance and provide help and instructional feedback to students. Qualified POC operators play the role of other teammates: these teammates are given a script outlining the different interactions they will have with the trainee and other teammates and a time line for the actions they should take. Joint team simulations are however scarce and expensive.

In this paper we present CITTP (Computerized Individual Trainer for Team Performance), an intelligent tutoring system (ITS) framework for individuals to rehearse their team related tasks using computer based simulations. CITTP is used as a cost effective training tool to complement team integration exercises. CITTP concentrates in defining three key elements that a team ITS must have: (i) authoring tools to define training scenarios; (ii) intelligent simulated teammates; and (iii) spoken natural language capabilities that allow simulated teammates to interact with the trainee. We illustrate CITTP when used to train a Payload Rack Officer at MSFC's POC. A training scenario requires the trainee to apply some NASA procedures involving coordinated action with teammates. CITTP provides real time feedback, evaluates the trainee performance, executes actions on behalf of the student, and in most cases coaches the trainee whenever he makes mistakes. CITTP's simulated teammates respond to trainee interactions by providing required information or asking the trainee for missing information. Simulated teammates also interact among themselves and change the state of the simulation by executing appropriate actions according to NASA procedures.