Yes.
All versions of GatherPlace* allow text chat in the meetings.

Hosts and moderators always have the capability to public chat to all participants or private chat to any individual participant.
Depending on the meeting settings as defined by the host, guests may be able to public chat to everyone in the meeting and/or private chat to other guests.
Guests can always private chat to the host or moderators individually or as a group.

See this article for the guest instructions on using the chat capability.