[jjmoohead]

What you may want to focus on in this project is not nessesarily one form of chat over another but the actual problems that exsist from using chat programs and their effect on reading and writing.

For example I have a friend who is 18 (im 24) who doesn't type properly or even write that well for thatmatter because she is "messengerized"(i just made that up). She types words as she hears them rather then typing them like the real word.

"im goin to eat n watch a movie, neone want to join me."

She tells me she does this not cause she cant do it properly but cause its faster and all her friends tpye like that so she is keeping with her friends and staying "with it". ( I think she means following her friends ways, and current traditions)

Lack of grammer is a major problem too. I am guilty of this as spelling and puctuation is not a concern of mine when tpying on messangers or message boards for that matter.

And as a teacher myself I can offically say that I have seen LOL used to refrense a character laughing within a student created written story.

Finally you might want to state "that programs like MSN are great for students too cause it allows them the opportunity to expeirence different cultures and different societies around the world. You can strike up a conversation with someone in another country like they are your next door neighbor. If used properly, IM programs can be really benifital."

EDIT: Ill get you more examples when I talk to her tonight.