ChatMaker is an easy-to-use tool for online collaboration in real time.  It has a structure similar to MeBeam, the very simple site for group video/audio conference “calls.”  Chatmaker, instead, lets you create text chatrooms.

With Chatmaker, all you do is go to the site, type in a name for your chatroom, and then you’re in it.  You can let people know in advance what you’re going to name it and all they have to do is type that url in and, they, too, will be in the chatroom.

When you first enter the chatroom you’re assigned a number for identification.  You can easily erase it and put a name in its place.

As with the other real time collaboration tools I’ve recently blogged about, this one could come in very useful with the ESL sister classes I’m beginning to work with around the world.

I’ve placed the link on my Teacher’s page under Collaboration Sites — Real Time.