The Foundation Coalition, a program sponsored by the National Science Foundation, consists of students and faculty working in cooperation at participating institutions and affiliate campuses to reform undergraduate engineering education. The Coalition seeks to implement bold initiatives to change the way engineers are educated. By weaving together the subjects the engineering students take, the learning environment can present materials in a context that is more meaningful to the students. Such a contextual approach will insure students are actively engaged in the learning environment. By introducing active and cooperative learning in the classroom, more students will be stimulated to engage in the curricula that results in better performance during classes, and better retention of material from one class to the next. The realism of having technology, such as computers and data collection instruments, in the classroom can create an environment where the students learn to use these resources as a tool, not as an end unto themselves. Therefore, the students can reach a greater comfort level with learning and using new tools. Finally, the Coalition promotes engineers working in teams so that students can experience many forms of communication essential to a successful career. The Coalition envisions that such a learning environment will more explicitly teach skills in these areas, and exercise the students in utilizing these skills.