diff --git a/src/channelManager.ts b/src/channelManager.ts
index 08a229d..6dc054c 100644
--- a/src/channelManager.ts
+++ b/src/channelManager.ts
@@ -3,7 +3,10 @@ import ClientBase from './clients/clientBase';
 import MHSClient from './clients/sites/mhsClient';
 import MHSChannel from './channels/sites/mhsChannel';
 
+import * as Joi from 'joi';
+
 var logger = require('./logger');
+var app = require('./config/app');
 
 class ChannelManager {
   channels: any = [];
@@ -66,11 +69,8 @@ class ChannelManager {
   }
 
   removeClientFromChannel(client_id: number, channel_id: string) {
-    var index: number = 0;
-
     for (let channel of this.channels) {
       if (channel.id == channel_id) {
-        this.channels.splice(index, 1);
         if (channel.removeClient(client_id)) {
           logger.accessLog.info(`client removed from channel - channel: ${channel_id}, client: ${client_id}`);
           return true;
@@ -79,23 +79,29 @@ class ChannelManager {
           return false
         }
       }
-
-      index++;
     }
 
     return false;
   }
 
-  purgeEmptyChannels() {
-    var index = 0
+  changeChannel(client: ClientBase|MHSClient, changeRequest: any) {
+    if (client.channel != null) {
+      this.removeClientFromChannel(client.id, client.channel.id)
+    }
 
+    var channel = this.createChannel(changeRequest);
+    this.addClientToChannel(client, channel.id);
+    this.purgeEmptyChannels();
+    console.log(this.channels)
+  }
+
+  purgeEmptyChannels() {
     for (let channel of this.channels) {
       if (channel.clients.length == 0 && channel.id != 'default') {
+        var index = this.channels.indexOf(channel)
         this.channels.splice(index, 1);
         logger.accessLog.info(`channel removed: ${channel.id}`);
       }
-
-      index++;
     }
   }
 };
diff --git a/src/channels/channelBase.ts b/src/channels/channelBase.ts
index ce85ff2..904f143 100644
--- a/src/channels/channelBase.ts
+++ b/src/channels/channelBase.ts
@@ -34,15 +34,12 @@ class ChannelBase {
   }
 
   removeClient(id: number) {
-    var index: number = 0;
-
     for (let client of this.clients) {
       if (client.id == id) {
+        var index = this.clients.indexOf(client)
         this.clients.splice(index, 1);
         return true;
       }
-
-      index++;
     }
 
     return false;
diff --git a/src/channels/sites/mhsChannel.ts b/src/channels/sites/mhsChannel.ts
index c8787fd..985ba22 100644
--- a/src/channels/sites/mhsChannel.ts
+++ b/src/channels/sites/mhsChannel.ts
@@ -1,32 +1,17 @@
 import ClientBase from '../../clients/clientBase';
 import MHSClient from '../../clients/sites/mhsClient';
 import ChannelBase from '../channelBase';
-import * as Joi from 'joi';
 
 var logger = require('../../logger');
 
 class MHSChannel extends ChannelBase {
-  private schema = {
-    currentIndex: Joi.number().integer().required(),
-    totalQuestions: Joi.number().integer().required(),
-    timeElapsed: Joi.number().required(),
-    status: Joi.string().required(),
-  };
-
-  broadcastMessage(from: ClientBase|MHSClient|null, message: string) {
-    const result = Joi.validate(JSON.parse(message), this.schema);
-
-    if (result.error && from != null) {
-      from.ws.send(`Failed to send the message, the data provided does not conform to the schema outlined by the channel type (mhs) - ${result.error}`);
-      logger.errorLog.info(`Failed to send the message, the data provided does not conform to the schema outlined by the channel type (mhs)"`, {data: {clientId: from.id, message: message, error: result.error}});
-    } else {
-      for (let client of this.clients) {
-        if (client != from && client.data.user_type == 'teacher') {
-          client.ws.send(message);
-          logger.accessLog.info(`sent to ${client.id}`, { data: { message: message }});
-        } else {
-          logger.accessLog.info(`client either not a teacher or is the sender: ${client.id}`, { data: { message: message }});
-        }
+  broadcastMessage(from: ClientBase|MHSClient|null, message: any) {
+    for (let client of this.clients) {
+      if (client != from && client.data.user_type == 'teacher') {
+        client.ws.send(JSON.stringify(message));
+        logger.accessLog.info(`sent to ${client.id}`, { data: { message: message }});
+      } else {
+        logger.accessLog.info(`client either not a teacher or is the sender: ${client.id}`, { data: { message: message }});
       }
     }
 
diff --git a/src/clientManager.ts b/src/clientManager.ts
index 92e5e88..a2cfd64 100644
--- a/src/clientManager.ts
+++ b/src/clientManager.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import * as WebSocket from 'ws';
 import ClientBase from './clients/clientBase';
 import MHSClient from './clients/sites/mhsClient';
+import ChannelManager from './channelManager';
 
 var logger = require('./logger');
 
@@ -11,9 +12,9 @@ class ClientManager {
     //...maybe one day
   }
 
-  addClient(data: any, ws: WebSocket) {
+  addClient(data: any, channelManager: ChannelManager, ws: WebSocket) {
     if (data.client_type && !this.clientExists(data.user_id)) {
-      var client = this.getClientType(data, ws);
+      var client = this.getClientType(data, channelManager, ws);
       this.clients.push(client);
       logger.accessLog.info(`client added to client manager: ${data.user_id}`);
       return client;
@@ -65,15 +66,15 @@ class ClientManager {
     }
   }
 
-  getClientType(data: any, ws: WebSocket) {
+  getClientType(data: any, channelManager: ChannelManager, ws: WebSocket) {
     try {
       var Client = require(`./clients/${data.client_type}s/${data.client}client`);
       logger.accessLog.info(`attempting to create client of type ${data.client}, client id: ${data.user_id}...`);
-      return new Client(data, ws, this);
+      return new Client(data, ws, channelManager, this);
     } catch (e) {
       logger.errorLog.info(e);
       logger.accessLog.info(`creating base client: ${data.user_id}`);
-      return new ClientBase(data, ws, this);
+      return new ClientBase(data, ws, channelManager, this);
     }
   }
 };
diff --git a/src/clients/clientBase.ts b/src/clients/clientBase.ts
index 1ed916b..99af8ac 100644
--- a/src/clients/clientBase.ts
+++ b/src/clients/clientBase.ts
@@ -1,9 +1,10 @@
 import * as WebSocket from 'ws';
-import * as ChannelManager from '../channelManager';
 import ClientManager from '../clientManager';
+import ChannelManager from '../channelManager';
 import ChannelBase from '../channels/channelBase';
 import MHSChannel from '../channels/sites/mhsChannel';
 
+var messageManager = require('../messageManager');
 var logger = require('../logger');
 
 class ClientBase {
@@ -12,13 +13,15 @@ class ClientBase {
   id: number;
   channel: ChannelBase|MHSChannel|null;
   clientManager: ClientManager;
+  channelManager: ChannelManager;
 
-  constructor(data: any, ws: WebSocket, clientManager: ClientManager) {
+  constructor(data: any, ws: WebSocket, channelManager: ChannelManager, clientManager: ClientManager) {
     this.ws = ws;
     this.data = data;
     this.id = data.user_id;
     this.channel = null;
     this.clientManager = clientManager;
+    this.channelManager = channelManager;
   }
 
   getData() {
@@ -36,11 +39,25 @@ class ClientBase {
   connectToChannel(channel: ChannelBase|MHSChannel) {
     this.channel = channel;
 
-    this.ws.on('message', (message: string) => {
-      logger.accessLog.info(`starting broadcast on channel ${channel.id}: `, {message: message});
-      channel.broadcastMessage(this, message);
-      logger.accessLog.info(`broadcast complete on channel ${channel.id}: `, {message: message});
-    });
+    var messageListener = (message: any) => {
+      logger.accessLog.info(`starting message transaction on channel ${channel.id}: `, {message: message});
+      this.ws.removeListener('message', messageListener);
+      message = messageManager.prepareMessage(message)
+
+      if (!message.error) {
+        if (message['message_type'] == 'broadcast') {
+          channel.broadcastMessage(this, message);
+        } else if (message['message_type'] == 'changeChannel') {
+          this.channelManager.changeChannel(this, message);
+        }
+
+        logger.accessLog.info(`message transaction complete on channel ${channel.id}: `, {message: message});
+      } else {
+        logger.errorLog.info(`Validation failed, please review schema: ${channel.id}`, {data: {message: message, error: message.error}});
+      }
+    }
+
+    this.ws.on('message', messageListener);
 
     this.ws.on('close', (reasonCode: string, description: string) => {
       logger.accessLog.info(`closing connection for client ${this.id}`);
diff --git a/src/clients/sites/mhsClient.ts b/src/clients/sites/mhsClient.ts
index aee05f4..596ee91 100644
--- a/src/clients/sites/mhsClient.ts
+++ b/src/clients/sites/mhsClient.ts
@@ -1,12 +1,13 @@
 import * as WebSocket from 'ws';
 import ClientBase from '../clientBase';
 import ClientManager from '../../clientManager';
+import ChannelManager from '../../channelManager';
 
 var logger = require('../../logger');
 
 class MHSClient extends ClientBase {
-  constructor(data: any, ws: WebSocket, clientManager: ClientManager) {
-    super(data, ws, clientManager);
+  constructor(data: any, ws: WebSocket, channelManager: ChannelManager, clientManager: ClientManager) {
+    super(data, ws, channelManager, clientManager);
     logger.accessLog.info('MHS Client Created', {data: data});
   }
 };
diff --git a/src/config/app.ts b/src/config/app.ts
index 72882ea..6b909d2 100644
--- a/src/config/app.ts
+++ b/src/config/app.ts
@@ -14,5 +14,6 @@ module.exports = {
     subject:  'Braid JWT',
     audience:  'internal',
     algorithm:  ["HS256"]
-  }
+  },
+  messageTypes : ['broadcast', 'changeChannel']
 }
diff --git a/src/messageManager.ts b/src/messageManager.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..91c8bd3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/messageManager.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+import * as Joi from 'joi';
+
+var logger = require('./logger');
+var app = require('./config/app');
+
+let schema = {
+  message_type: Joi.string().valid(app.messageTypes).insensitive().required(),
+  current_index: Joi.number().integer(),
+  total_questions: Joi.number().integer(),
+  time_elapsed: Joi.number(),
+  status: Joi.string(),
+  channel: Joi.string(),
+  client: Joi.string(),
+  client_type: Joi.string(),
+  user_id: Joi.number().integer(),
+};
+
+module.exports = {
+  prepareMessage: (message: string) => {
+    var parsed = JSON.parse(message)
+    const result = Joi.validate(parsed, schema);
+
+    if (result.error) {
+      return result
+    } else {
+      return parsed
+    }
+  }
+}
diff --git a/src/server.ts b/src/server.ts
index c311439..2016ad4 100755
--- a/src/server.ts
+++ b/src/server.ts
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ function connectionManager() {
         client.replaceWebSocket(ws);
       }
     } else {
-      var client: ClientBase|MHSClient|null = clientManager.addClient(data, ws);
+      var client: ClientBase|MHSClient|null = clientManager.addClient(data, channelManager, ws);
     }
 
     if (client != null) {
diff --git a/src/test/channelBase.spec.ts b/src/test/channelBase.spec.ts
index 3de19ad..806fa30 100644
--- a/src/test/channelBase.spec.ts
+++ b/src/test/channelBase.spec.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import ChannelBase from '../channels/channelBase';
 import ClientBase from '../clients/clientBase';
 import ClientManager from '../clientManager';
+import ChannelManager from '../channelManager';
 
 var exec = require('child_process').exec;
 var expect = require('chai').expect;
@@ -12,8 +13,9 @@ var name: string = 'test channel';
 var wsClient = new WebSocketClient();
 var channel: ChannelBase;
 var clientManager = new ClientManager();
+var channelManager = new ChannelManager();
 var data: any = { 'client': 'test', 'client_type':'site', 'user_id': 125, 'user_type': 'user', 'channel': name }
-var client: ClientBase = new ClientBase(data, wsClient, clientManager);
+var client: ClientBase = new ClientBase(data, wsClient, channelManager, clientManager);
 
 describe('ChannelBase', function () {
   it('should create a class of ChannelBase', function () {
diff --git a/src/test/channelManager.spec.ts b/src/test/channelManager.spec.ts
index 360113e..ae98652 100644
--- a/src/test/channelManager.spec.ts
+++ b/src/test/channelManager.spec.ts
@@ -13,9 +13,8 @@ var data: any = { 'client': 'test', 'client_type':'site', 'user_id': 125, 'user_
 var WebSocketClient = require('websocket').client;
 var wsClient = new WebSocketClient();
 var clientManager = new ClientManager();
-var client: ClientBase = new ClientBase(data, wsClient, clientManager);
-
-let channelManager = new ChannelManager();
+var channelManager = new ChannelManager();
+var client: ClientBase = new ClientBase(data, wsClient, channelManager, clientManager);
 
 describe('ChannelManager', function () {
   var channel: ChannelBase;
diff --git a/src/test/clientBase.spec.ts b/src/test/clientBase.spec.ts
index 904c33e..0287ddd 100644
--- a/src/test/clientBase.spec.ts
+++ b/src/test/clientBase.spec.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import * as WebSocket from 'ws';
 import ClientBase from '../clients/clientBase';
 import ClientManager from '../clientManager';
+import ChannelManager from '../channelManager';
 
 var expect = require('chai').expect;
 var assert = require('chai').assert;
@@ -11,7 +12,8 @@ var data: any = { 'client': 'test', 'client_type':'site', 'user_id': 125, 'user_
 var WebSocketClient = require('websocket').client;
 var wsClient = new WebSocketClient();
 var clientManager = new ClientManager();
-var client: ClientBase = new ClientBase(data, wsClient, clientManager);
+var channelManager = new ChannelManager();
+var client: ClientBase = new ClientBase(data, wsClient, channelManager, clientManager);
 
 describe('ClientBase', function () {
   it('should get client data', function () {
diff --git a/src/test/clientManager.spec.ts b/src/test/clientManager.spec.ts
index 382bda5..4d10d28 100644
--- a/src/test/clientManager.spec.ts
+++ b/src/test/clientManager.spec.ts
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import * as WebSocket from 'ws';
 import ClientBase from '../clients/clientBase';
 import MHSClient from '../clients/sites/mhsClient';
 import ClientManager from '../clientManager';
+import ChannelManager from '../channelManager';
 
 var expect = require('chai').expect;
 var assert = require('chai').assert;
@@ -12,11 +13,13 @@ var data: any = { 'client': 'test', 'client_type':'site', 'user_id': 125, 'user_
 var WebSocketClient = require('websocket').client;
 var wsClient = new WebSocketClient();
 var clientManager = new ClientManager();
-var client: ClientBase = new ClientBase(data, wsClient, clientManager);
+var channelManager = new ChannelManager();
+
+var client: ClientBase = new ClientBase(data, wsClient, channelManager, clientManager);
 
 describe('ClientManager', function () {
   it('should add a client', function () {
-    var result = clientManager.addClient(data, wsClient);
+    var result = clientManager.addClient(data, channelManager, wsClient);
     expect(result.id).to.be.equal(125);
   });
 
@@ -51,7 +54,7 @@ describe('ClientManager', function () {
 
   it('should add client of type MHSClient', function () {
     var data: any = { 'client': 'mhs', 'client_type':'site', 'user_id': 125, 'user_type': 'user', 'channel': name }
-    var result = clientManager.getClientType(data, wsClient);
+    var result = clientManager.getClientType(data, channelManager, wsClient);
     expect(result.clientType()).to.be.equal('mhs');
   });
 });