Index: lams_tool_chat/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/chat/web/forms/AuthoringForm.java
===================================================================
diff -u -r7d38b774661aa06101a5c4f95317fa220ad76f0e -r7c0c408e15f94b0c133d296b19d34398fa3436f9
--- lams_tool_chat/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/chat/web/forms/AuthoringForm.java	(.../AuthoringForm.java)	(revision 7d38b774661aa06101a5c4f95317fa220ad76f0e)
+++ lams_tool_chat/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/chat/web/forms/AuthoringForm.java	(.../AuthoringForm.java)	(revision 7c0c408e15f94b0c133d296b19d34398fa3436f9)
@@ -25,7 +25,13 @@
  
 package org.lamsfoundation.lams.tool.chat.web.forms;
 
+import javax.servlet.http.HttpServletRequest;
+
+import org.apache.struts.action.ActionErrors;
 import org.apache.struts.action.ActionForm;
+import org.apache.struts.action.ActionMapping;
+import org.apache.struts.action.ActionMessage;
+import org.apache.struts.action.ActionMessages;
 import org.apache.struts.upload.FormFile;
 import org.lamsfoundation.lams.tool.chat.beans.AuthoringSessionBean;
 
@@ -68,6 +74,14 @@
 
 	AuthoringSessionBean authSession;
 
+	@Override
+	public ActionErrors validate(ActionMapping arg0, HttpServletRequest arg1) {
+		ActionErrors ac = new ActionErrors();
+		ac.add(ActionMessages.GLOBAL_MESSAGE, new ActionMessage("this is an error"));
+		
+		return ac;
+	}
+	
 	public String getAuthSessionId() {
 		return authSessionId;
 	}
Index: lams_tool_chat/web/chat_client/chat_app.js
===================================================================
diff -u -r021a931e5c6474f94ccda3d5e30dc32f06657829 -r7c0c408e15f94b0c133d296b19d34398fa3436f9
--- lams_tool_chat/web/chat_client/chat_app.js	(.../chat_app.js)	(revision 021a931e5c6474f94ccda3d5e30dc32f06657829)
+++ lams_tool_chat/web/chat_client/chat_app.js	(.../chat_app.js)	(revision 7c0c408e15f94b0c133d296b19d34398fa3436f9)
@@ -20,6 +20,14 @@
     return str;
 }
 
+function getColor(nick) {
+	var charSum = 0;
+	for (var i=0; i<nick.length; i++)
+    	  charSum += nick.charCodeAt(i);
+    	  
+	return colors[charSum%(colors.length)];
+}
+
 // Roster 
 function RosterUser(nick) {
     this.nick = nick;
@@ -71,13 +79,9 @@
     var userName;
     if (MODE == "teacher" && !(selectedIndex == -1)) {
         var userName = rosterList.options[rosterList.selectedIndex].value;
+
+        document.getElementById("sendToUser").innerHTML = "<span style='color:" + getColor(userName) + "'>" + userName +"</span>";
         
-   		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="";
         
@@ -87,11 +91,8 @@
     }
 }
 function generateMessageHTML(nick, message, type) {
-	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/>";
+	
+	return "<div style='color:" + getColor(nick) + "' class='message " + type + "'><span style='color:" + getColor(nick) + "' class='messageFrom' >" + nick + "</span><br/>" + message + "<div/>";
 }
 function updateMessageDisplay(htmlMessage) {
     var iRespDiv = document.getElementById("iResp");
@@ -172,9 +173,9 @@
     			document.getElementById("clearButton").disabled="disabled";
     		}       		
    		} else {
-			document.getElementById("finishButtonDiv").style.display ="";	
+			document.getElementById("finishButton_pane").style.display ="";	
     	}   
-    } 
+    }
 
 	// send presence
     var aPresence = new JSJaCPresence();
Index: lams_tool_chat/web/chat_client/chat_style.css
===================================================================
diff -u -rbcdab60f1b29cd37575646fc3fe5241ac17bcd56 -r7c0c408e15f94b0c133d296b19d34398fa3436f9
--- lams_tool_chat/web/chat_client/chat_style.css	(.../chat_style.css)	(revision bcdab60f1b29cd37575646fc3fe5241ac17bcd56)
+++ lams_tool_chat/web/chat_client/chat_style.css	(.../chat_style.css)	(revision 7c0c408e15f94b0c133d296b19d34398fa3436f9)
@@ -1,22 +1,29 @@
-#chat_pane {
+#chat_content {
+	width: 100%;
 	height: 600px;
+	padding: 12px;
 }
 
+#chat_pane {
+
+}
+
 #iResp {
 	height: 400px;
 	margin-right: 8px;
 	overflow: scroll;
 	padding: 4px;
 	background-color: white;
+	border: thin solid black;
 }
 
-.groupchat_message {
-		
+.message {
+	padding-bottom: 4px;	
 }
 
 .private_message {
 	font-style: italic;
-	background-color: #E6E6FA;
+	background-color: #e6e6fa;
 }
 
 .messageFrom {
@@ -38,13 +45,13 @@
 #msgArea {
 	width: 100%;
 	height: 100%;
-	margin: 0;
 }
 
 #msgAreaDiv {
 	height: 45px;
 }
 
-#finishButtonDiv {
-	float: right;	
-}
+#finishButton_pane {
+	width: 100%;
+	text-align: right;
+}
\ No newline at end of file
Index: lams_tool_chat/web/chat_client/chat_ui.jsp
===================================================================
diff -u -r021a931e5c6474f94ccda3d5e30dc32f06657829 -r7c0c408e15f94b0c133d296b19d34398fa3436f9
--- lams_tool_chat/web/chat_client/chat_ui.jsp	(.../chat_ui.jsp)	(revision 021a931e5c6474f94ccda3d5e30dc32f06657829)
+++ lams_tool_chat/web/chat_client/chat_ui.jsp	(.../chat_ui.jsp)	(revision 7c0c408e15f94b0c133d296b19d34398fa3436f9)
@@ -24,56 +24,59 @@
 	var LOCK_ON_FINISHED = "${LOCK_ON_FINISHED}";	
 </script>
 
-<!--  Chat Client -->
+<!--  Chat Client -->	
 <script src="${tool}chat_client/chat_app.js" type="text/javascript"></script>
 
-<div id="login_pane">
-	<div id="login_err"></div>
-	<p>
-		<fmt:message>message.loading</fmt:message>
-	</p>
-</div>
+<div id="chat_content">
 
-<div id="chat_pane" style="display:none;">
-	<h1>
-		<c:out value="${chatTitle}" escapeXml="false" />
-	</h1>
+	<div id="login_pane">
+		<div id="login_err"></div>
+		<p>
+			<fmt:message>message.loading</fmt:message>
+		</p>
+	</div>
 
-	<p>
-		<c:out value="${chatInstructions}" escapeXml="false" />
-	</p>
-	<form name="sendForm" action="" onSubmit="return sendMsg(this);">
-		<div id="presence">
-			<select id="roster_user_selector" size="2" onchange="updateSendDisplay();">
-				<%--  options dynamically updated as users join/leave --%>
-				<option>
-					loading
-				</option>
-			</select>
-		</div>
-		<div id="iResp"></div>
+	<div id="chat_pane" style="display:none;">
+		<h1>
+			<c:out value="${chatTitle}" escapeXml="false" />
+		</h1>
 
-		<h3>
-			<fmt:message>label.sendMessageTo</fmt:message>
-			<span id="sendToEveryone"><fmt:message>label.everyone</fmt:message></span><span id="sendToUser" style="display: none"></span>
-		</h3>
+		<p>
+			<c:out value="${chatInstructions}" escapeXml="false" />
+		</p>
+		<form name="sendForm" action="" onSubmit="return sendMsg(this);">
+			<div id="presence">
+				<select id="roster_user_selector" size="2" onchange="updateSendDisplay();">
+					<%--  options dynamically updated as users join/leave --%>
+					<option>
+						loading
+					</option>
+				</select>
+			</div>
+			<div id="iResp"></div>
 
-		<div id="msgAreaDiv">
-			<textarea name="msg" id='msgArea' rows="3" cols="80"></textarea>
-			<input id="sendButton" type="submit" value='<fmt:message>button.send</fmt:message>' />
-			<input id="clearButton" type="button" onclick="resetInputs();" value='<fmt:message>button.clear</fmt:message>' />
-			
-		</div>
-	</form>
+			<h3>
+				<fmt:message>label.sendMessageTo</fmt:message>
+				<span id="sendToEveryone"><fmt:message>label.everyone</fmt:message></span><span id="sendToUser" style="display: none"></span>
+			</h3>
 
-</div>
+			<div id="msgAreaDiv">
+				<textarea name="msg" id='msgArea' rows="3" cols="80"></textarea>
+				<input id="sendButton" type="submit" value='<fmt:message>button.send</fmt:message>' />
+				<input id="clearButton" type="button" onclick="resetInputs();" value='<fmt:message>button.clear</fmt:message>' />
 
-<div id="finishButtonDiv" style="display:none;">
-	<form name="finishActivity" action="${tool}learning.do" method="post">
-		<div>
-			<input type="hidden" name="dispatch" value="finishActivity" />
-			<input type="hidden" name="chatUserUID" value="${USER_UID}" />
-			<input type="submit" value='<fmt:message>button.finish</fmt:message>' />
-		</div>
-	</form>
+			</div>
+		</form>
+
+	</div>
+	
+	<div id="finishButton_pane" style="display:none;">
+		<form name="finishActivity" action="${tool}learning.do" method="post">
+			<div>
+				<input type="hidden" name="dispatch" value="finishActivity" />
+				<input type="hidden" name="chatUserUID" value="${USER_UID}" />
+				<input type="submit" value='<fmt:message>button.finish</fmt:message>' />
+			</div>
+		</form>
+	</div>
 </div>