Index: lams_build/lib/lams/lams.jar
===================================================================
diff -u -rfd6ade152cf877cecaa63d3cb59d3bc53d60ca45 -r79100cc7efdac107d0a09ccdd77b2721f7654861
Binary files differ
Index: lams_common/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/learningdesign/dto/GroupDTO.java
===================================================================
diff -u -r51fb2a37254f24bb2a805d4ffd54482c779f43fa -r79100cc7efdac107d0a09ccdd77b2721f7654861
--- lams_common/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/learningdesign/dto/GroupDTO.java	(.../GroupDTO.java)	(revision 51fb2a37254f24bb2a805d4ffd54482c779f43fa)
+++ lams_common/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/learningdesign/dto/GroupDTO.java	(.../GroupDTO.java)	(revision 79100cc7efdac107d0a09ccdd77b2721f7654861)
@@ -24,15 +24,32 @@
 package org.lamsfoundation.lams.learningdesign.dto;
 
 import java.util.ArrayList;
+import java.util.Comparator;
 import java.util.Iterator;
 import java.util.List;
 
 import org.lamsfoundation.lams.learningdesign.Group;
 import org.lamsfoundation.lams.usermanagement.User;
+import org.lamsfoundation.lams.util.AlphanumComparator;
 
 /** Grouping object, suitable for sending to Authoring */
 public class GroupDTO {
 
+    public static final Comparator<GroupDTO> GROUP_NAME_COMPARATOR = new Comparator<GroupDTO>() {
+	/**
+	 * Compare the group names
+	 */
+	@Override
+	public int compare(GroupDTO grp1, GroupDTO grp2) {
+	    String grp1Name = grp1 != null ? grp1.getGroupName() : "";
+
+	    String grp2Name = grp2 != null ? grp2.getGroupName() : "";
+
+	    AlphanumComparator comparator = new AlphanumComparator();
+	    return comparator.compare(grp1Name, grp2Name);
+	}
+    };
+
     private Long groupID;
     private String groupName;
     private int orderID;
Index: lams_common/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/usermanagement/dto/UserBasicDTO.java
===================================================================
diff -u -r51fb2a37254f24bb2a805d4ffd54482c779f43fa -r79100cc7efdac107d0a09ccdd77b2721f7654861
--- lams_common/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/usermanagement/dto/UserBasicDTO.java	(.../UserBasicDTO.java)	(revision 51fb2a37254f24bb2a805d4ffd54482c779f43fa)
+++ lams_common/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/usermanagement/dto/UserBasicDTO.java	(.../UserBasicDTO.java)	(revision 79100cc7efdac107d0a09ccdd77b2721f7654861)
@@ -23,11 +23,79 @@
 
 package org.lamsfoundation.lams.usermanagement.dto;
 
+import java.util.Comparator;
+
 /**
  * @author Mitchell Seaton
  */
 public class UserBasicDTO {
 
+    // Compares first, then last name, then login
+    public static final Comparator<UserBasicDTO> USER_BASIC_DTO_COMPARATOR = new Comparator<UserBasicDTO>() {
+	@Override
+	public int compare(UserBasicDTO o1, UserBasicDTO o2) {
+	    if ((o1 == null) || (o2 == null)) {
+		return compareNull(o1, o2);
+	    } else {
+		int retValue = compareFirstName(o1, o2);
+		if (retValue == 0) {
+		    retValue = compareLastName(o1, o2);
+		}
+		if (retValue == 0) {
+		    retValue = compareLogin(o1, o2);
+		}
+		return retValue;
+	    }
+	}
+
+	private int compareLastName(UserBasicDTO o1, UserBasicDTO o2) {
+	    String surname1 = o1.getLastName();
+	    String surname2 = o2.getLastName();
+
+	    int retValue = -1;
+	    if ((surname1 == null) || (surname2 == null)) {
+		retValue = compareNull(surname1, surname2);
+	    } else {
+		retValue = surname1.compareTo(surname2);
+	    }
+	    return retValue;
+	}
+
+	private int compareFirstName(UserBasicDTO o1, UserBasicDTO o2) {
+	    String name1 = o1.getFirstName();
+	    String name2 = o2.getFirstName();
+
+	    int retValue = -1;
+	    if ((name1 == null) || (name2 == null)) {
+		retValue = compareNull(name1, name2);
+	    } else {
+		retValue = name1.compareTo(name2);
+	    }
+	    return retValue;
+	}
+
+	private int compareLogin(UserBasicDTO o1, UserBasicDTO o2) {
+	    String name1 = o1.getLogin();
+	    String name2 = o2.getLogin();
+
+	    int retValue = -1;
+	    if ((name1 == null) || (name2 == null)) {
+		retValue = compareNull(name1, name2);
+	    } else {
+		retValue = name1.compareTo(name2);
+	    }
+	    return retValue;
+	}
+
+	private int compareNull(Object o1, Object o2) {
+	    if (o1 == null) {
+		return (o2 != null ? -1 : 0);
+	    } else {
+		return 1;
+	    }
+	}
+    };
+
     private Integer userID;
     private String firstName;
     private String lastName;
Index: lams_learning/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/learning/web/action/GroupingAction.java
===================================================================
diff -u -r36a3c1beea2e7fbd8109512d89e6bfa39d965c51 -r79100cc7efdac107d0a09ccdd77b2721f7654861
--- lams_learning/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/learning/web/action/GroupingAction.java	(.../GroupingAction.java)	(revision 36a3c1beea2e7fbd8109512d89e6bfa39d965c51)
+++ lams_learning/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/learning/web/action/GroupingAction.java	(.../GroupingAction.java)	(revision 79100cc7efdac107d0a09ccdd77b2721f7654861)
@@ -24,8 +24,6 @@
 package org.lamsfoundation.lams.learning.web.action;
 
 import java.io.IOException;
-import java.util.Comparator;
-import java.util.Set;
 import java.util.SortedSet;
 import java.util.TreeSet;
 
@@ -45,14 +43,13 @@
 import org.lamsfoundation.lams.learning.web.util.LearningWebUtil;
 import org.lamsfoundation.lams.learningdesign.Activity;
 import org.lamsfoundation.lams.learningdesign.Group;
-import org.lamsfoundation.lams.learningdesign.GroupComparator;
 import org.lamsfoundation.lams.learningdesign.Grouping;
 import org.lamsfoundation.lams.learningdesign.GroupingActivity;
 import org.lamsfoundation.lams.learningdesign.LearnerChoiceGrouping;
+import org.lamsfoundation.lams.learningdesign.dto.GroupDTO;
 import org.lamsfoundation.lams.lesson.LearnerProgress;
 import org.lamsfoundation.lams.tool.ToolAccessMode;
-import org.lamsfoundation.lams.usermanagement.User;
-import org.lamsfoundation.lams.usermanagement.util.FirstNameAlphabeticComparator;
+import org.lamsfoundation.lams.usermanagement.dto.UserBasicDTO;
 import org.lamsfoundation.lams.util.WebUtil;
 import org.lamsfoundation.lams.web.action.LamsDispatchAction;
 import org.lamsfoundation.lams.web.util.AttributeNames;
@@ -226,26 +223,23 @@
      *
      * @param request
      */
+    @SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
     private void prepareGroupData(HttpServletRequest request) {
 
 	ICoreLearnerService learnerService = LearnerServiceProxy.getLearnerService(getServlet().getServletContext());
 
-	SortedSet<Group> groups = new TreeSet<Group>(new GroupComparator());
+	SortedSet<GroupDTO> groups = new TreeSet<GroupDTO>(GroupDTO.GROUP_NAME_COMPARATOR);
 	Activity activity = LearningWebUtil.getActivityFromRequest(request, learnerService);
 
 	Grouping grouping = ((GroupingActivity) activity).getCreateGrouping();
 	if (grouping != null) {
-	    groups.addAll(grouping.getGroups());
+	    for (Group group : grouping.getGroups()) {
+		GroupDTO groupDTO = new GroupDTO(group, true);
+		groupDTO.getUserList().sort(UserBasicDTO.USER_BASIC_DTO_COMPARATOR);
+		groups.add(groupDTO);
+	    }
 	}
 
-	// sort users with first, then last name, then login
-	Comparator<User> userComparator = new FirstNameAlphabeticComparator();
-	for (Group group : groups) {
-	    Set<User> sortedUsers = new TreeSet<User>(userComparator);
-	    sortedUsers.addAll(group.getUsers());
-	    group.setUsers(sortedUsers);
-	}
-
 	request.setAttribute(GroupingAction.GROUPS, groups);
 	request.setAttribute(GroupingAction.TITLE, activity.getTitle());
 	request.setAttribute(AttributeNames.PARAM_ACTIVITY_ID, activity.getActivityId());
Index: lams_learning/web/grouping/choose.jsp
===================================================================
diff -u -r9893792dddc1c272c07323ef878ceca129292446 -r79100cc7efdac107d0a09ccdd77b2721f7654861
--- lams_learning/web/grouping/choose.jsp	(.../choose.jsp)	(revision 9893792dddc1c272c07323ef878ceca129292446)
+++ lams_learning/web/grouping/choose.jsp	(.../choose.jsp)	(revision 79100cc7efdac107d0a09ccdd77b2721f7654861)
@@ -72,24 +72,24 @@
 					<td width="25%" class="first"><strong><c:out value="${group.groupName}" /></strong></td>
 					<td width="60%">
 					<c:if test="${viewStudentsBeforeSelection}">
-							<c:forEach items="${group.users}" var="user">
-								<div name="u-${user.userId}" class="user-container">
-								<lams:Portrait userId="${user.userId}"/>&nbsp;<c:out value="${user.firstName}" />&nbsp;<c:out value="${user.lastName}" />
+							<c:forEach items="${group.userList}" var="user">
+								<div name="u-${user.userID}" class="user-container">
+								<lams:Portrait userId="${user.userID}"/>&nbsp;<c:out value="${user.firstName}" />&nbsp;<c:out value="${user.lastName}" />
 								</div>
 							</c:forEach>
 					</c:if></td>
 					<td><c:choose>
-							<c:when test="${not empty maxLearnersPerGroup and fn:length(group.users)>=maxLearnersPerGroup}">
+							<c:when test="${not empty maxLearnersPerGroup and fn:length(group.userList)>=maxLearnersPerGroup}">
 								<fmt:message key="label.learner.choice.group.full" />
 							</c:when>
 							<c:otherwise>
 								<html:form
-									action="/grouping.do?method=learnerChooseGroup&userId=${user.userID}&activityID=${activityID}&groupId=${group.groupId}"
-									styleId="form${user.userID}${activityID}${group.groupId}" target="_self">
+									action="/grouping.do?method=learnerChooseGroup&userId=${user.userID}&activityID=${activityID}&groupId=${group.groupID}"
+									styleId="form${user.userID}${activityID}${group.groupID}" target="_self">
 								</html:form>							
 								<button type="button" class="btn btn-sm btn-primary" 
 									data-toggle="modal" data-target="#confirmationModal" 
-									data-u="form${user.userID}${activityID}${group.groupId}" 
+									data-u="form${user.userID}${activityID}${group.groupID}" 
 									data-gn="<c:out value="${group.groupName}" />"><fmt:message key="label.choose.group.button" />
 								</button>							
 								
Index: lams_learning/web/grouping/show.jsp
===================================================================
diff -u -re132908a4a4554bf6b7620722ee8d03f917557be -r79100cc7efdac107d0a09ccdd77b2721f7654861
--- lams_learning/web/grouping/show.jsp	(.../show.jsp)	(revision e132908a4a4554bf6b7620722ee8d03f917557be)
+++ lams_learning/web/grouping/show.jsp	(.../show.jsp)	(revision 79100cc7efdac107d0a09ccdd77b2721f7654861)
@@ -54,9 +54,9 @@
 						<logic:iterate id="group" name="groups">
 							<tr>
 								<td width="15%"><strong><c:out value="${group.groupName}" /></strong></td>
-								<td><c:forEach items="${group.users}" var="user">
-										<div name="u-${user.userId}" class="user-container">
-											<lams:Portrait userId="${user.userId}"/>&nbsp;<c:out value="${user.firstName}" />&nbsp;<c:out value="${user.lastName}" />
+								<td><c:forEach items="${group.userList}" var="user">
+										<div name="u-${user.userID}" class="user-container">
+											<lams:Portrait userId="${user.userID}"/>&nbsp;<c:out value="${user.firstName}" />&nbsp;<c:out value="${user.lastName}" />
 										</div>
 									</c:forEach></td>
 							</tr>