Research investigated the relationships between the characteristics of adult learners, aged 17 to 67, and their responses to learning via multi-media instructional programs. Students read materials in accounting and psychology, viewed video lessons and listened to audio tapes; post-treatment data were then collected. Results showed that: 1) the adult learner's educational level, enjoyment of educational television, self-concept, past academic achievement and future educational plans were all positively related to his reactions to innovative techniques; 2) general interest in the lesson was related to the degree to which the learners found the material useful; 3) reactions regarding both interest and usefulness varied for different subjects and different instructional formats; and 4) achievement of posttests was related to different learner characteristics for different subjects. It was concluded that adult learners reacted positively to the mediated approaches, but that both subject matter and personal characteristics influenced achievement and student acceptance. This suggested that the design of instructional meterials for adults in an open learning system will need to consider the subject matter at hand, as well as the specific nature of the target population, their interests and their backgrounds. (Author/LB)