 Use instant messaging to communicate privately with other course participants. View the online users block. If you see the user on that list, you can click their name directly. If they don't appear on the list, means they're not currently online, you can access them via the people block. Click participants. Click their name. Send a message. So this is private communication between you and the message recipient. Send message. If the other user is not online, the message gets delivered to their mailbox. Or else they'll see the message next time they log into the learning management system.