ABSTRACT
The more the Internet becomes an indispensable tool for learning and communication, the more information services, such as help-desks for hardware and software, operate via the Internet. If computer experts' counseling of laypersons is to be effective, the experts should adjust their explanations to the prior knowledge of the layperson. However, in asynchronous communication, the evaluation of an interlocutor's knowledge is more difficult compared to face-to-face communication. Against this background, an assessment tool has been developed which aids computer experts working in support via a computer hotline in evaluating an inquirer's prior knowledge. A dialogue experiment shows that the assessment tool boosted the clients' knowledge acquisition and reduced the number of comprehension questions they asked the expert. At the same time, experts who were provided with information about the client's knowledge level via the assessment tool showed a higher degree of adaptation to the client. The paper closes with an outline of directions for future research.
