The purpose of this study is to compare an instructional designer's intentions with the learners' perceptions of the instructional functions of visuals in one specific e-learning lesson. An instructional designer created each visual with more than two purposes related to the psychological, cognitive, and affective aspects of learning. Contrary to a deterministic view of visual design, learners perceived the instructional functions of visuals in various ways. Designer's intentions and learners' perceptions were analyzed to be congruent for four visuals out of eight. Specific instructional designer's intentions and learners' perceptions of instructional functions of visuals are described. (Contains 8 tables and 3 figures.)