Initial Development of a Learners ’ Ratified Acceptance of Multibiometrics Intentions Model ( RAMIM )

Authenticating users is a continuous tradeoff between the level of invasiveness and the degree of system security. Password protection has been the most widely authentication approach used, however, it is easily compromised. Biometric authentication devices have been implemented as a more robust approach. This paper reports on initial results of student perceptions about their acceptance of a multibiometrics authentication approach in the context of e-learning systems. Specifically, this paper reports on the initial empirical development of a learners’ Ratified Acceptance of Multibiometrics Intentions Model (RAMIM). The model proposed investigates the impact of students’ code of conduct awareness, perceived ease-of-use, perceived usefulness, and ethical decision making on learners’ intention to use multibiometrics for authentication during elearning exams. The study’s participants included 97 non-information technology (IT) students who attended e-learning courses. Additionally, results of a path analysis using Partial Least Square (PLS) indicate that perceived usefulness has the most significant impact on learners’ intention to use multibiometrics during e-learning exams. Students’ ethical decision making and perceived usefulness demonstrated significant impact on their intention to use multibiometrics. Additionally, students’ code of conduct awareness appears to have a positive impact on their ethical decision making. Conclusions are discussed including recommendations for future research on extending this initial research into applied experiments to address e-learning security issues.