Adaptive hypertext and hypermedia clients of the user modeling system BGP-MS

This paper first describes the hypertext system KN-AHS which adapts to users’ presumed domain knowledge, and discusses the support that the user modeling shell system BGP-MS can provide for this adaptation. The aim of constructing KN-AHS was to demonstrate the feasibility of user modeling with BGP-MS in a “normal” hardware and software environment that is frequently found in the workplace. Basic hypertext concepts will be introduced and reasons given for why hypertext should adapt to the current user (especially to his/her state of knowledge). A brief overview of those representation and inference components of BGP-MS that are used by KNAHS will be provided, followed by a description of its adaptive user interface. The interaction between the adaptive hypertext system and the user modeling system will be investigated in detail based on a possible dialog with a user. The inter-process communication between KN-AHS and BGP-MS will then be described and related work discussed.
A final section discusses recent research that extends the approach of KN-AHS to a hypermedia information system in a the World Wide Web which additionally adapts its presentation to users’ interests, preferences and abilities (including possible handicaps).