Instant communicating
Software that allows ‘instant’ communication with others includes:
- Chatrooms
- Instant messages
Chatrooms
Chatrooms let people talk amongst themselves in real-time. There are lots of general conversational chat rooms, but there are also topic-specific ones where you can talk with, or ask questions to, people with an interest or expertise in the topic.
Chat rooms can be public or private and they can be available on websites or through computer programs. Chatrooms can also be available through online computer and video games.
Instant messages
Instant messages are like a chatroom except the chat is always private and cannot be read by anyone not invited into the conversation.
Instant messages can be used for having a more in-depth discussion with a friend or someone like-minded. They are more immediate than email in that, if people are online and signed in, you get an almost-instant text response to your comments or questions.
Most work on a PDA or mobile phone as well.
The software is free and, once you are connected to the internet, there is no cost. Millions of people around the world use instant messaging to talk to friends. They are enormously popular with young people, and are often used in IT workplaces by disparate teams keeping in touch with each other.
Instant messaging can be a valuable communications tool if you’re working with people scattered around different locations.
Instant messaging is usually available through specialist programs. The most commonly used are MSN Messenger and AOL Instant Messenger. It also can be available through websites and computer and video games. Online telephone software like Skype also provides an instant messaging option (see How to make telephone calls over the internet and save money).
Many of these applications allow you to talk as if on a phone to other people e.g. Apple iChat, MSN Messenger, AOL Messenger, Yahoo Messenger.
Some allow you to videoconference with others, e.g. Yahoo Messenger, AOL Messenger
True story
Instant messaging used for online counselling
Kids Help Line www.kidshelp.com.au
is an anonymous and confidential national counselling service for young people. As well as phone and email counselling the website provides young people with access to counsellors via web counselling using real time ‘chat’ instant messaging.
The issues young people discuss online are more complex and severe than those dealt with on the telephone. Child abuse, mental health concerns, self harm and suicide are frequently disclosed. Feedback from young people using the service indicates that they feel safer, more anonymous and more in control of their emotions using chatroom counselling, and that sensitive, difficult, and deeply personal issues are easier to write about than talk about.
The system enables counsellors to communicate in real time with supervisors. Supervisors can monitor, intercept or join the interaction which is particularly useful for managing probationary counsellors or those responding to young people who are suicidal.
One of the biggest challenges for online counselling was transferring counselling skills from voice to text format. Because voice speed, tone and pitch are absent, it can be difficult at times for counsellors and young clients to assess information, reflect on something that either party has expressed, or express emotions and feelings.
Kids Help Line had to evaluate and consider the legal, ethical, insurance and counselling implications of providing online counselling in the absence of any research or evidence-based feedback to support the concept. This made it difficult to respond to professional organisations who opposed the concept. In the end the development of web counselling was driven by the numbers of young people requesting online options for seeking help. See full case study.
More information
- Yahoo messenger : http://messenger.yahoo.com/
- American Online Instant messager
- MSN messager : http://messenger.msn.com/
- Skype commucation products : www.skype.com
- Apple iChat video conferencing