This paper describes the development of two World Wide Web sites, "Our Place in the World" (OPITW) and "Chicana and Chicano Space" (CCS), specifically designed as resources for art educators, and describes a framework for three blended levels or layers of navigation that support knowledge construction within the domain. The first section of the paper discusses the elements of educational hypermedia environments, including: (1) the relationship between the site and the user; (2) learner/user elements, i.e., computer skills, content knowledge, self-efficacy, learner control, and task type; (3) macro and micro conditions of hypermedia design; and (4) site elements, i.e., content, presentation, navigation, and links/nodes. Ill-structured domains and cognitive flexibility are discussed in the second section, including the notions of "concept- and case-complexity" and "across-case irregularity." This is followed by a section that addresses thematic and inquiry-based learning. The final section describes the three layers of navigation used in the OPITW and CCS web sites--near-linear navigation, guided navigation, and self-directed exploration. Two tables present: elements of hypermedia learning environments and macro and micro levels of relevance, usefulness, and accessibility of hypermedia learning environments. Recommendations for application of this framework for other hypermedia and hypertext curriculum resource environments are included. (Contains 27 references.) (DLS)