Index: lams_tool_nb/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/noticeboard/dao/INoticeboardUserDAO.java
===================================================================
diff -u -rc37fcfa0e8e9c09a5ada45fba5af63e43b2bbef1 -r981a75a7b464b24a0bd26b9864624fd34c534607
--- lams_tool_nb/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/noticeboard/dao/INoticeboardUserDAO.java	(.../INoticeboardUserDAO.java)	(revision c37fcfa0e8e9c09a5ada45fba5af63e43b2bbef1)
+++ lams_tool_nb/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/noticeboard/dao/INoticeboardUserDAO.java	(.../INoticeboardUserDAO.java)	(revision 981a75a7b464b24a0bd26b9864624fd34c534607)
@@ -56,6 +56,18 @@
     public NoticeboardUser getNbUserByID(Long userId);
     
     /**
+	 * <p> Return the persistent instance of a NoticeboardUser
+	 * who has the user id <code>userId</code> and tool session id
+	 * <code>sessionId</code>
+	 * returns null if not found.</p>
+	 * 
+	 * @param userId. The id of the learner
+	 * @param sessionId. The tool session id to which this user belongs to.
+	 * @return the persistent instance of a NoticeboardUser or null if not found.
+	 */
+    public NoticeboardUser getNbUserBySession(Long userId, Long sessionId);
+    
+    /**
 	 * <p>Persist the given persistent instance of NoticeboardUser.</p>
 	 * 
 	 * @param nbUser The instance of NoticeboardUser to persist.
Index: lams_tool_nb/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/noticeboard/dao/hibernate/NoticeboardUserDAO.java
===================================================================
diff -u -rc37fcfa0e8e9c09a5ada45fba5af63e43b2bbef1 -r981a75a7b464b24a0bd26b9864624fd34c534607
--- lams_tool_nb/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/noticeboard/dao/hibernate/NoticeboardUserDAO.java	(.../NoticeboardUserDAO.java)	(revision c37fcfa0e8e9c09a5ada45fba5af63e43b2bbef1)
+++ lams_tool_nb/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/noticeboard/dao/hibernate/NoticeboardUserDAO.java	(.../NoticeboardUserDAO.java)	(revision 981a75a7b464b24a0bd26b9864624fd34c534607)
@@ -38,8 +38,9 @@
 public class NoticeboardUserDAO extends HibernateDaoSupport implements INoticeboardUserDAO {
     
     private static final String COUNT_USERS_IN_SESSION = "select nu.userId from NoticeboardUser nu where nu.nbSession= :nbSession";
-  
+   
     
+    
     /** @see org.lamsfoundation.lams.tool.noticeboard.dao.INoticeboardUserDAO#getNbUserByUID(java.lang.Long) */
 	public NoticeboardUser getNbUserByUID(Long uid)
 	{
@@ -62,7 +63,27 @@
 			return (NoticeboardUser)users.get(0);
 		}
 	}
+	
+	/** @see org.lamsfoundation.lams.tool.noticeboard.dao.INoticeboardUserDAO#getNbUserBySession(java.lang.Long, java.lang.Long)*/
+	public NoticeboardUser getNbUserBySession(Long userId, Long sessionId)
+	{
+		String query = "select nu from NoticeboardUser nu where nu.userId=? and nu.nbSession.nbSessionId=?";
+		Long[] bindingValues = new Long[2];
+		bindingValues[0] = userId;
+		bindingValues[1] = sessionId;
+		List usersReturned = getHibernateTemplate().find(query, bindingValues); //although only one or no users should be returned
+		
+		if (usersReturned!= null && usersReturned.size() == 0)
+		{
+			return null;
+		}
+		else
+		{
+			return (NoticeboardUser)usersReturned.get(0);
+		}
 
+	}
+
 	/** @see org.lamsfoundation.lams.tool.noticeboard.dao.INoticeboardUserDAO#saveNbUser(org.lamsfoundation.lams.tool.noticeboard.NoticeboardUser) */
 	public void saveNbUser(NoticeboardUser nbUser)
     {