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Abstract. Designing effective adap tive e-learning systems, from a usability perspective, represents a challenge because of the complexity of adaptivity in order to meet the diverse requirements of learners. Furthermore, there is a lack of well-designed experimental evaluation of adaptive e-learning systems in general, and of their usability in particular. The aim of this paper is the presentation of an adaptive e-learning system based on learner knowledge and learning style, and of the results of an initial experimental evaluation of the usability of its two modes of operation. This involves comparing the usability of an adaptive version of the system with the usability of a non-adaptive version, in a learning environment with 75 participants. The experiment produced significant results; they indicate that an adaptive e-learning system based on learner knowledge and learning style has a higher level of perceived usability than a non-adaptive e-learning system. This may also increase the level of satisfaction, engagement and motivation of learners and therefore enhance their learning.

Abstract-Traditional e-learning systems have been, typically, designed for a generic learner, irrespective of individual knowledge, skills and learning styles. In contrast, adaptive elearning systems can enhance learning by taking into account different learner characteristics and by personalising learning material. Although a large number of systems incorporating learning style have been deployed, there is a lack of comprehensive, comparative evaluations. This paper attempts to bridge this gap by comparing a number of adaptive elearning systems. It considers three main perspectives: the learner model, the domain model and the adaptation model. A set of criteria is generated for each perspective, and applied to a representative sample of adaptive e-learning systems.