Overview
Send messages to all or selected students. This is often an effective way to get a distracted student back on task. Also, students can ask the teacher a question and the teacher can respond by initiating a chat session with that student. Teachers can also initiate chat sessions with a group of students.
How a Student Can Ask a Question
On a student computer, left click on the LanSchool icon in the system tray
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If the student client is installed in Stealth Mode the icon will be hidden from the student's view and they cannot send a chat to the teacher.
- Click the pop-up message to Ask the teacher a question.
- Type the question that will be sent to the teacher and click the Send.
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Students cannot chat with other students.
Responding to a Question With a Chat Session
- When a student asks a question, the teacher will see a blue "?" icon on the student's thumbnail. They will also see the Question and Alert pane display at the bottom of the Teacher Console.
- Hover the mouse cursor over the icon to read the question.
![](https://helpdesk.stone-ware.com/galleryDocuments/edbsn221704d93e1095df0f2d06b98ec6a78b1a38a71f3b26f7b5d1b39828144f7a55dbcbbd99fdf5313fffe0e031a629c4d2?inline=true)
- Right-click on the thumbnail and select Chat... to initiate a chat session with that student.
![](https://helpdesk.stone-ware.com/galleryDocuments/edbsn639b89697387c85ba8bff98c957cdc0a6e0c06392fb0d1beaaff2bd51977e6dbb3166ffdc902ae4b5448f5562da0a2f2?inline=true)
- The chat window will appear on the teacher screen and the teacher can start a chat session with the selected student.
![](https://helpdesk.stone-ware.com/galleryDocuments/edbsnee780524b04ff71ad81129c0c831633acebed2562f8beffce3aa31be2328df1c54159126ab648a8220b303d5b3ab8cfe?inline=true)
- Alternatively, select Clear Student Question... to clear the prompt and mark the question as answered.
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A teacher can start a chat session with a student at any time by right clicking on the student thumbnail and selecting Chat.
Sending a Message
- Select one or more student computers. If none are selected, the message will be sent to all computers.
- Click the Message button from the toolbar.
- Type a message and click Send to display that message to students.
- Selecting the Force Student to Read this Message checkbox will make the message pop-up above all other windows.