Index: lams_tool_chat/web/chat_client/chat_app.js
===================================================================
diff -u -rb870f1d2089affc9df675604f5d509c86b9d1b78 -r021a931e5c6474f94ccda3d5e30dc32f06657829
--- lams_tool_chat/web/chat_client/chat_app.js	(.../chat_app.js)	(revision b870f1d2089affc9df675604f5d509c86b9d1b78)
+++ lams_tool_chat/web/chat_client/chat_app.js	(.../chat_app.js)	(revision 021a931e5c6474f94ccda3d5e30dc32f06657829)
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@
 var GROUPCHAT_MSG = "groupchat_message";
 var PRIVATE_MSG = "private_message";
 
+var colors = new Array('maroon','green','olive','navy','purple','teal','red','blue');
+
 // Variables
 var roster = new Roster();
 
@@ -69,8 +71,13 @@
     var userName;
     if (MODE == "teacher" && !(selectedIndex == -1)) {
         var userName = rosterList.options[rosterList.selectedIndex].value;
-        document.getElementById("sendToUser").innerHTML = userName;
         
+   		var charSum = 0;
+		for (var i=0; i<userName.length; i++)
+    	  charSum += userName.charCodeAt(i); 
+    	  
+        document.getElementById("sendToUser").innerHTML = "<span style='color:" + colors[charSum%(colors.length)] + "'>" + userName +"</span>";
+        
         document.getElementById("sendToEveryone").style.display="none";
         document.getElementById("sendToUser").style.display="";
         
@@ -80,7 +87,11 @@
     }
 }
 function generateMessageHTML(nick, message, type) {
-    return "<div class='" + type + "'><span class='messageFrom'>" + nick + ":</span>" + message + "<div/>";
+	var charSum = 0;
+	for (var i=0; i<nick.length; i++)
+      charSum += nick.charCodeAt(i);
+
+    return "<div style='color:" + colors[charSum%(colors.length)] + "' class='" + type + "'><span class='messageFrom' >" + nick + ":</span>" + message + "<div/>";
 }
 function updateMessageDisplay(htmlMessage) {
     var iRespDiv = document.getElementById("iResp");
Index: lams_tool_chat/web/chat_client/chat_ui.jsp
===================================================================
diff -u -rbcdab60f1b29cd37575646fc3fe5241ac17bcd56 -r021a931e5c6474f94ccda3d5e30dc32f06657829
--- lams_tool_chat/web/chat_client/chat_ui.jsp	(.../chat_ui.jsp)	(revision bcdab60f1b29cd37575646fc3fe5241ac17bcd56)
+++ lams_tool_chat/web/chat_client/chat_ui.jsp	(.../chat_ui.jsp)	(revision 021a931e5c6474f94ccda3d5e30dc32f06657829)
@@ -36,11 +36,11 @@
 
 <div id="chat_pane" style="display:none;">
 	<h1>
-		<c:out value="${chatTitle}" />
+		<c:out value="${chatTitle}" escapeXml="false" />
 	</h1>
 
 	<p>
-		<c:out value="${chatInstructions}" />
+		<c:out value="${chatInstructions}" escapeXml="false" />
 	</p>
 	<form name="sendForm" action="" onSubmit="return sendMsg(this);">
 		<div id="presence">