Index: lams_tool_assessment/conf/language/lams/ApplicationResources.properties
===================================================================
diff -u -rce25caee003fbe6c0c3e1e0d4fa1238106b0aecf -rb4efdafc56d24361458ebb803387771843e452f7
--- lams_tool_assessment/conf/language/lams/ApplicationResources.properties	(.../ApplicationResources.properties)	(revision ce25caee003fbe6c0c3e1e0d4fa1238106b0aecf)
+++ lams_tool_assessment/conf/language/lams/ApplicationResources.properties	(.../ApplicationResources.properties)	(revision b4efdafc56d24361458ebb803387771843e452f7)
@@ -259,6 +259,7 @@
 label.info.maximum.number.words = This answer must have a maximum of {0} words.
 label.info.minimum.number.words = This answer must have a minimum of {0} words.
 label.info.max.and.min.number.words = This answer must have a minimal of {0} and maximum of {1} words.
+warn.maximum.number.words = Entered text exceeds the maximum number of words.
 warn.answers.word.requirements.limit = In order to continue, please note the word limit restrictions.
 label.words = Words:
 message.no.reflection.available = No notebook entry has been added.
Index: lams_tool_assessment/web/pages/learning/learning.jsp
===================================================================
diff -u -r5d2ff2494dcfe4c72f1fa20564e29d707120268c -rb4efdafc56d24361458ebb803387771843e452f7
--- lams_tool_assessment/web/pages/learning/learning.jsp	(.../learning.jsp)	(revision 5d2ff2494dcfe4c72f1fa20564e29d707120268c)
+++ lams_tool_assessment/web/pages/learning/learning.jsp	(.../learning.jsp)	(revision b4efdafc56d24361458ebb803387771843e452f7)
@@ -40,13 +40,17 @@
 			padding: 0;
 		}
 		
-		[data-toggle="collapse"].collapsed .if-not-collapsed, [data-toggle="collapse"]:not(.collapsed) .if-collapsed {
+		[data-toggle="collapse"].collapsed .if-not-collapsed,
+		[data-toggle="collapse"]:not(.collapsed) .if-collapsed,
+		.max-word-limit-exceeded {
   			display: none;
   		}
   		
   		.countdown-timeout {
   			color: #FF3333 !important;
   		}
+  		
+  		
 	</style>
 
 	<script type="text/javascript" src="${lams}includes/javascript/jquery-ui.js"></script>
@@ -382,12 +386,11 @@
 				});
 			}
 			
-			//only if time limit is not expired
-			if (!isTimelimitExpired) {
-				if (!validateAnswers()) {
-					return;
-				}
+			// only if time limit is not expired
+			if (!isTimelimitExpired && !validateAnswers()) {
+				return;
 			}
+			
 			disableButtons();
 
 			// copy value from lams:textarea (only available in essay and mark hedging type of questions) to hidden input before submit
@@ -430,7 +433,6 @@
 			
 			var missingRequiredQuestions = [];
 			var minWordsLimitNotReachedQuestions = [];
-			var maxWordsLimitExceededQuestions = [];
 			var markHedgingWrongTotalQuestions = [];
 			
 			<c:forEach var="question" items="${sessionMap.pagedQuestions[pageNumber-1]}" varStatus="status">
@@ -503,15 +505,6 @@
 					</c:choose>
 				</c:if>
 				
-				//essay question which has max words limit
-				<c:if test="${question.type == 6 && question.maxWordsLimit != 0}">
-					var wordCount${status.index} = $('#word-count${status.index}').text();
-					//max words limit is exceeded
-					if(wordCount${status.index} > ${question.maxWordsLimit}) {
-						maxWordsLimitExceededQuestions.push("${status.index}");
-					}
-				</c:if>
-				
 				//essay question which has min words limit
 				<c:if test="${question.type == 6 && question.minWordsLimit != 0}">
 					var wordCount${status.index} = $('#word-count${status.index}').text();
@@ -547,7 +540,7 @@
 			
 			//return true in case all required questions were answered, false otherwise
 			if (missingRequiredQuestions.length == 0 && minWordsLimitNotReachedQuestions.length == 0 
-					&& maxWordsLimitExceededQuestions.length == 0 && markHedgingWrongTotalQuestions.length == 0) {
+					&& markHedgingWrongTotalQuestions.length == 0) {
 				return true;
 				
 			} else {
@@ -567,15 +560,6 @@
 					
 				}
 				
-				if (maxWordsLimitExceededQuestions.length != 0) {
-					//add .bg-warning class to those needs to be filled
-					for (i = 0; i < maxWordsLimitExceededQuestions.length; i++) {
-					    $("#question-area-" + maxWordsLimitExceededQuestions[i]).addClass('bg-warning');
-					}
-					//show alert message as well
-					$("#warning-words-limit").show();		
-				}
-				
 				if (minWordsLimitNotReachedQuestions.length != 0) {
 					//add .bg-warning class to those needs to be filled
 					for (i = 0; i < minWordsLimitNotReachedQuestions.length; i++) {
@@ -600,18 +584,11 @@
 			}
 		}
 
-		function getNumberOfWords(value, isRemoveHtmlTags) {
-			
-		    //HTML tags stripping 
-			if (isRemoveHtmlTags) {
-				value = value.replace(/&nbsp;/g, '').replace(/<\/?[a-z][^>]*>/gi, '');
-			}
-			value = value.trim();
-			
-		    var wordCount = value ? (value.replace(/['";:,.?\-!]+/g, '').match(/\S+/g) || []).length : 0;
-		    return wordCount;
+		function getNumberOfWords(value) {
+			var wordsForCounting = value.trim().replace(/['";:,.?\-!]+/g, '');
+			return value ? (value.match(/\S+/g) || []).length : 0;
 		}
-		
+
 		function logLearnerInteractionEvent(eventType, qbToolQuestionUid, optionUid) {
 			$.ajax({
 				url: '<c:url value="/learning/logLearnerInteractionEvent.do"/>',
Index: lams_tool_assessment/web/pages/learning/parts/allquestions.jsp
===================================================================
diff -u -r10e6a1f74ecf6ba2d60569e9b9677b88ed39650a -rb4efdafc56d24361458ebb803387771843e452f7
--- lams_tool_assessment/web/pages/learning/parts/allquestions.jsp	(.../allquestions.jsp)	(revision 10e6a1f74ecf6ba2d60569e9b9677b88ed39650a)
+++ lams_tool_assessment/web/pages/learning/parts/allquestions.jsp	(.../allquestions.jsp)	(revision b4efdafc56d24361458ebb803387771843e452f7)
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@
 				${question.question}
 			</div>
 					
-			<div class="panel-body" id="question-area-${status.index}">
+			<div class="panel-body question-area" id="question-area-${status.index}">
 				<c:choose>
 					<c:when test="${question.type == 1}">
 						<c:set var="justificationEligible" value="true" />
Index: lams_tool_assessment/web/pages/learning/parts/essay.jsp
===================================================================
diff -u -r2816144c4052c9d190639ba1f0a707ec5d884bb4 -rb4efdafc56d24361458ebb803387771843e452f7
--- lams_tool_assessment/web/pages/learning/parts/essay.jsp	(.../essay.jsp)	(revision 2816144c4052c9d190639ba1f0a707ec5d884bb4)
+++ lams_tool_assessment/web/pages/learning/parts/essay.jsp	(.../essay.jsp)	(revision b4efdafc56d24361458ebb803387771843e452f7)
@@ -1,53 +1,48 @@
 <%@ include file="/common/taglibs.jsp"%>
 <c:set var="isWordsLimitEnabled" value="${hasEditRight && (question.maxWordsLimit != 0 || question.minWordsLimit != 0)}"/>
 
-<c:if test="${isWordsLimitEnabled}">
+<c:if test="${isWordsLimitEnabled and not question.allowRichEditor}">
 <script type="text/javascript">
 	
 	$(document).ready(function() {
-		
-		//word count
-		var counter${status.index} = function() {
-			var isCkeditor = ${question.allowRichEditor};
-			
-			var value;
-			if (isCkeditor) {
-				//if (!CKEDITOR.instances.question${status.index}.checkDirty()) {
-				//	return;
-				//}
-			    value = CKEDITOR.instances.question${status.index}.getData();
-			    
-			} else {
-				value =  $("#essay-question${status.index}").val();
+		$("#essay-question${status.index}").on('change keydown paste', function(event){
+			var newText = '';
+			// if it is a single key typed
+			if (event.type == 'keydown') {
+				// try to figure out if it is a printable, standard character
+				if (!event.originalEvent.ctrlKey && event.originalEvent.key.length === 1){
+					newText = String.fromCharCode(event.originalEvent.keyCode);
+					if (!/^[a-zA-Z0-9\u0600-\u06FF\u0660-\u0669\u06F0-\u06F9 _.-]$/.test(newText)) {
+						newText = '';
+					}
+				}
+			} else if (event.type == 'paste') {
+				// get pasted data
+				newText = event.originalEvent.clipboardData || window.clipboardData;
+				newText = newText.getData('Text');
 			}
-		    
-			var wordCount = getNumberOfWords(value, isCkeditor);
-			$('#word-count${status.index}').html(wordCount);
 			
-		    var maxWordsLimit = ${question.maxWordsLimit};
-		    if(wordCount > maxWordsLimit){
-				//$('#text').val()  this.value = this.value.substring(0,limit);
-				//fix a bug: when change "this.value", onchange event won't be fired any more. So this will 
-				//manually handle onchange event. It is a kind of crack coding!
-				//filterData(document.getElementById('messageBody'),document.getElementById('message.body__lamshidden'));
-				//onchange="filterData(this,document.getElementById('question1__lamshidden'));"
-			}
-			//filterData(document.getElementById('question1__lamstextarea'),document.getElementById('question1__lamshidden'));
-		};
-		
-		if (${question.allowRichEditor}) {
-			CKEDITOR.instances["question${status.index}"].on("instanceReady", function(){    
-			     this.on("change", counter${status.index});
-			});
-			//count words initially
-		    CKEDITOR.instances["question${status.index}"].on('instanceReady', counter${status.index});
-		      
-		} else {
-			$("#essay-question${status.index}").on('change keydown keypress keyup paste', counter${status.index});
-			//count words initially
-			counter${status.index}();
-		}
-
+			var value = $("#essay-question${status.index}").val() + newText,
+		    	wordCount = getNumberOfWords(value),
+		    	maxWordsLimit = ${question.maxWordsLimit};
+		    	
+			    if (maxWordsLimit > 0){
+				    var questionArea = $(this).closest('.question-area'),
+				    	warning = $('.max-word-limit-exceeded', questionArea);
+				    if (wordCount > maxWordsLimit){
+					    // prevent new text from being entered
+					    event.preventDefault();
+					    questionArea.addClass('bg-warning');
+						warning.slideDown();
+				    	return false;
+					} else {
+						questionArea.removeClass('bg-warning');
+						warning.slideUp();
+					}
+			    }
+			
+			$('#word-count${status.index}').html(wordCount);
+		}).change();
 	});
 </script>
 </c:if>
@@ -76,7 +71,6 @@
 		<c:if test="${isWordsLimitEnabled}">
 			<tr>
 				<td>
-	
 					<c:choose>
 						<c:when test="${question.maxWordsLimit != 0 && question.minWordsLimit != 0}">
 							<div class="reg-info">
@@ -85,13 +79,19 @@
 									<fmt:param>${question.maxWordsLimit}</fmt:param>
 								</fmt:message>
 							</div>
+							<div class="reg-info max-word-limit-exceeded text-danger">
+								<fmt:message key="warn.maximum.number.words" />
+							</div>
 						</c:when>
 						<c:when test="${question.maxWordsLimit != 0}">
 							<div class="reg-info">
 								<fmt:message key="label.info.maximum.number.words" >
 									<fmt:param>${question.maxWordsLimit}</fmt:param>
 								</fmt:message>
 							</div>
+							<div class="reg-info max-word-limit-exceeded text-danger">
+								<fmt:message key="warn.maximum.number.words" />
+							</div>
 						</c:when>
 						<c:when test="${question.minWordsLimit != 0}">
 							<div class="reg-info">
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@
 			<td>
 				<c:choose>
 					<c:when test="${question.allowRichEditor && hasEditRight}">
-						<lams:CKEditor id="question${status.index}" value="${question.answer}" contentFolderID="${sessionMap.learnerContentFolder}" toolbarSet="DefaultLearner" height="174px"></lams:CKEditor>
+						<lams:CKEditor id="question${status.index}" value="${question.answer}" contentFolderID="${sessionMap.learnerContentFolder}" toolbarSet="DefaultLearner" height="174px" maxWords="${question.maxWordsLimit}"></lams:CKEditor>
 					</c:when>
 					<c:when test="${not empty question.codeStyle}">
 						<textarea id="essay-question${status.index}" name="question${status.index}">${question.answer}</textarea>
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@
 			</td>
 		</tr>
 		
-		<c:if test="${isWordsLimitEnabled}">
+		<c:if test="${isWordsLimitEnabled and not question.allowRichEditor}">
 			<tr>
 				<td>
 					<fmt:message key="label.words" /> <span id="word-count${status.index}">0</span>