dynamic dropdown menu problem in ie8

[fillfry]

I acquired this code from a former developer and it only works in firefox.  It is a three and sometimes four level dropdown depending on what you choose.  It looks like it is using prototype and script.aculo.us

 

<select id="text483" name="text483">
  <option value="">Select One</option>
  <option value="PSYCH" name="pri_program" onClick="Element.update('prog_pri_div', psychology1);">Psychology</option>
  <option value="EDUC" name="pri_program" onClick="Element.update('prog_pri_div', education1);" class="validate">Education</option>
</select>

 

and based on those, would populate:

<div id="prog_pri_div" name="prog_pri_div"></div>
<div id="prog_sec_div" name="prog_sec_div"></div>
<div id="prog_third_div" name="prog_third_div"></div>

 

The "psychology1" and "education1" are actually variables in another part of the code and look like this:

var psychology1 = ' <label for="text485">Select a degree:</label><br/>  '+
'<select id="text485" name="text485">'+
  '<option name="pri_plan" value="" class="validate">Select One</option>'+
  '<option name="pri_plan" value="PDPSYCH" onClick="Element.update(\'prog_sec_div\', edlrntech);">Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology</option>'+
  '<option name="pri_plan" value="MACLINPSY" onClick="Element.update(\'prog_sec_div\', psychloc);">M.A. in Clinical Psychology (Evening Format)</option>'+
  '<option name="pri_plan" value="MACLINPSYD" onClick="Element.update(\'prog_sec_div\', psychday);">M.A. in Clinical Psychology (Malibu Campus Only)</option>'+
  '<option name="pri_plan" value="MAPSYCH" onClick="Element.update(\'prog_sec_div\', psychloc);">M.A. in Psychology</option>'+
'</select>';

 

I would like to eventually rebuild this to use only jquery, but in the meantime, I just need something up.  Any help would be great!  Thanks and let me know if I need to give more code!