A generic model of assistance for telelearning actors is presented. The help system described by this model can be linked to any distributed or local computer environment, regardless type of knowledge domain and type of online users (learner, designer, tutor, teacher, etc.) using the help system. The help system guides these users by offering advice or by adapting the interface according to their preferences or those of a work team, to their task progress, to their interaction and/or to their history of utilized help functions in the help system. The generic model identifies the various components of such a system and proposes several typologies (help access types, object types, type of goals and themes, types of help conditions and actions, etc.). An applied example of this generic model is presented in order to specify a help system designed for telelearning designers, more specifically to users of a distributed instructional engineering workbench called ADISA.