A system for presenting database query results through an AUI can include a database manager for managing a database query operation on at least one database. The database query operation can produce database query result items. The system further can include a dialog manager for managing the presentation of the database query result items through the AUI concurrently with the database query operation. Notably, the AUI can include a text-to-speech processor for converting the database query result items into audible speech; and, a speech recognition engine for converting speech input into text recognizable by the dialog manager. The AUI further can include a barge-in facility. In one aspect of the invention, the system also can include a queue for storing database query result items from the database query operation; and, a queue manager for managing the insertion and removal of database query items to and from the queue.