A method for barging-in a call can include the step of establishing a component as a communication intermediary between at least one speech engine and a telephone gateway. The component can include at least one input media port and at least one output media port, where the input media port and the output media port can interface with selective ones of the speech engines. A barge-in command can be received while an automated prompt is being audibly presented. The signals for the prompt can be conveyed to the component via the output media port. Once the barge-in command has been received, the output media port can be closed to immediately stop the prompt from being presented. A halt command can be conveyed to a prompt generating source so that the source stops generating the prompt.