Index: lams_tool_chat/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/chat/web/actions/AuthoringAction.java
===================================================================
diff -u -r08950e1090443c3423a3d1c587416a2fccd8bbdf -ra1523835943285424159f4719d51af2794f94846
--- lams_tool_chat/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/chat/web/actions/AuthoringAction.java	(.../AuthoringAction.java)	(revision 08950e1090443c3423a3d1c587416a2fccd8bbdf)
+++ lams_tool_chat/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/chat/web/actions/AuthoringAction.java	(.../AuthoringAction.java)	(revision a1523835943285424159f4719d51af2794f94846)
@@ -99,6 +99,8 @@
 		
 		String contentFolderID = WebUtil.readStrParam(request, AttributeNames.PARAM_CONTENT_FOLDER_ID);
 
+		ToolAccessMode mode = WebUtil.readToolAccessModeParam(request, "mode", true);
+		
 		// set up chatService
 		if (chatService == null) {
 			chatService = ChatServiceProxy.getChatService(this.getServlet()
@@ -121,12 +123,14 @@
 					request).getMessage("error.content.locked"));
 			return mapping.findForward("message_page");
 		}
+		
+		if (mode != null && mode.isTeacher()) {
+			// Set the defineLater flag so that learners cannot use content while we
+			// are editing. This flag is released when updateContent is called.
+			chat.setDefineLater(true);
+			chatService.saveOrUpdateChat(chat);
+		}
 
-		// Set the defineLater flag so that learners cannot use content while we
-		// are editing. This flag is released when updateContent is called.
-		chat.setDefineLater(true);
-		chatService.saveOrUpdateChat(chat);
-
 		// Set up the authForm.
 		AuthoringForm authForm = (AuthoringForm) form;
 		updateAuthForm(authForm, chat);
Index: lams_tool_notebook/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/notebook/web/actions/AuthoringAction.java
===================================================================
diff -u -r08950e1090443c3423a3d1c587416a2fccd8bbdf -ra1523835943285424159f4719d51af2794f94846
--- lams_tool_notebook/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/notebook/web/actions/AuthoringAction.java	(.../AuthoringAction.java)	(revision 08950e1090443c3423a3d1c587416a2fccd8bbdf)
+++ lams_tool_notebook/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/notebook/web/actions/AuthoringAction.java	(.../AuthoringAction.java)	(revision a1523835943285424159f4719d51af2794f94846)
@@ -99,6 +99,8 @@
 		String contentFolderID = WebUtil.readStrParam(request,
 				AttributeNames.PARAM_CONTENT_FOLDER_ID);
 
+		ToolAccessMode mode = WebUtil.readToolAccessModeParam(request, "mode", true);
+		
 		// set up notebookService
 		if (notebookService == null) {
 			notebookService = NotebookServiceProxy.getNotebookService(this
@@ -122,12 +124,14 @@
 					request).getMessage("error.content.locked"));
 			return mapping.findForward("message_page");
 		}
+		
+		if (mode != null && mode.isTeacher() ) {
+			// Set the defineLater flag so that learners cannot use content while we
+			// are editing. This flag is released when updateContent is called.
+			notebook.setDefineLater(true);
+			notebookService.saveOrUpdateNotebook(notebook);
+		}		
 
-		// Set the defineLater flag so that learners cannot use content while we
-		// are editing. This flag is released when updateContent is called.
-		notebook.setDefineLater(true);
-		notebookService.saveOrUpdateNotebook(notebook);
-
 		// Set up the authForm.
 		AuthoringForm authForm = (AuthoringForm) form;
 		updateAuthForm(authForm, notebook);
Index: lams_tool_scribe/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/scribe/web/actions/AuthoringAction.java
===================================================================
diff -u -r84283f3449a27ed45130e07c53d2cefc451ba537 -ra1523835943285424159f4719d51af2794f94846
--- lams_tool_scribe/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/scribe/web/actions/AuthoringAction.java	(.../AuthoringAction.java)	(revision 84283f3449a27ed45130e07c53d2cefc451ba537)
+++ lams_tool_scribe/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/scribe/web/actions/AuthoringAction.java	(.../AuthoringAction.java)	(revision a1523835943285424159f4719d51af2794f94846)
@@ -111,13 +111,16 @@
 
 		String contentFolderID = WebUtil.readStrParam(request,
 				AttributeNames.PARAM_CONTENT_FOLDER_ID);
-
+		
+		ToolAccessMode mode = WebUtil.readToolAccessModeParam(request, "mode", true);
+				
 		// set up scribeService
 		if (scribeService == null) {
 			scribeService = ScribeServiceProxy.getScribeService(this
 					.getServlet().getServletContext());
 		}
-
+		
+		
 		// retrieving Scribe with given toolContentID
 		Scribe scribe = scribeService.getScribeByContentId(toolContentID);
 		if (scribe == null) {
@@ -134,12 +137,14 @@
 					request).getMessage("error.content.locked"));
 			return mapping.findForward("message_page");
 		}
+		
+		if (mode != null && mode.isTeacher()) {
+			// Set the defineLater flag so that learners cannot use content while we
+			// are editing. This flag is released when updateContent is called.
+			scribe.setDefineLater(true);
+			scribeService.saveOrUpdateScribe(scribe);
+		}
 
-		// Set the defineLater flag so that learners cannot use content while we
-		// are editing. This flag is released when updateContent is called.
-		scribe.setDefineLater(true);
-		scribeService.saveOrUpdateScribe(scribe);
-
 		// Set up the authForm.
 		AuthoringForm authForm = (AuthoringForm) form;
 		updateAuthForm(authForm, scribe);