Index: lams_tool_larsrc/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/rsrc/ResourceConstants.java
===================================================================
diff -u -rd3f5671d2d2b0e388e0f212fd6a3fd82c072644e -rd91247d69fe0a8fe3fe1750a0de83d5010fc6ad0
--- lams_tool_larsrc/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/rsrc/ResourceConstants.java	(.../ResourceConstants.java)	(revision d3f5671d2d2b0e388e0f212fd6a3fd82c072644e)
+++ lams_tool_larsrc/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/rsrc/ResourceConstants.java	(.../ResourceConstants.java)	(revision d91247d69fe0a8fe3fe1750a0de83d5010fc6ad0)
@@ -137,6 +137,8 @@
 
     public static final String PAGE_EDITABLE = "isPageEditable";
 
+    public static final String MODE_AUTHOR_SESSION = "author_session";
+
     public static final String ATTR_REFLECTION_ON = "reflectOn";
 
     public static final String ATTR_REFLECTION_INSTRUCTION = "reflectInstructions";
Index: lams_tool_larsrc/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/rsrc/web/controller/ViewItemController.java
===================================================================
diff -u -rd3f5671d2d2b0e388e0f212fd6a3fd82c072644e -rd91247d69fe0a8fe3fe1750a0de83d5010fc6ad0
--- lams_tool_larsrc/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/rsrc/web/controller/ViewItemController.java	(.../ViewItemController.java)	(revision d3f5671d2d2b0e388e0f212fd6a3fd82c072644e)
+++ lams_tool_larsrc/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/rsrc/web/controller/ViewItemController.java	(.../ViewItemController.java)	(revision d91247d69fe0a8fe3fe1750a0de83d5010fc6ad0)
@@ -24,7 +24,6 @@
 package org.lamsfoundation.lams.tool.rsrc.web.controller;
 
 import java.io.UnsupportedEncodingException;
-import java.net.URLEncoder;
 import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Set;
@@ -35,6 +34,7 @@
 import javax.servlet.http.HttpServletRequest;
 import javax.servlet.http.HttpSession;
 
+import org.apache.commons.lang.StringUtils;
 import org.apache.commons.lang.math.NumberUtils;
 import org.lamsfoundation.lams.tool.ToolAccessMode;
 import org.lamsfoundation.lams.tool.rsrc.ResourceConstants;
@@ -87,6 +87,7 @@
 	request.setAttribute(ResourceConstants.ATTR_TOOL_SESSION_ID, sessionId);
 	request.setAttribute(ResourceConstants.ATTR_SESSION_MAP_ID, sessionMapID);
 	request.setAttribute(ResourceConstants.ATTR_TITLE, item.getTitle());
+	request.setAttribute(AttributeNames.ATTR_MODE, mode);
 
 	return "pages/itemreview/mainframe";
     }
@@ -108,15 +109,18 @@
 	    sessionMap = (SessionMap<String, Object>) request.getSession().getAttribute(sessionMapID);
 	}
 
-	ToolAccessMode toolAccessMode = (ToolAccessMode) sessionMap.get(AttributeNames.ATTR_MODE);
-	String mode = toolAccessMode.toString();
+	String mode = request.getParameter(AttributeNames.ATTR_MODE);
+	if (StringUtils.isBlank(mode)) {
+	    ToolAccessMode toolAccessMode = (ToolAccessMode) sessionMap.get(AttributeNames.ATTR_MODE);
+	    mode = toolAccessMode.toString();
+	}
 	ResourceItem item = getResourceItem(request, sessionMap, mode);
 
-	String idStr = request.getParameter(ResourceConstants.ATTR_TOOL_SESSION_ID);
+	String sessionIdString = request.getParameter(ResourceConstants.ATTR_TOOL_SESSION_ID);
 	Long sessionId = null;
 	// mark this item access flag if it is learner
 	if (ToolAccessMode.LEARNER.toString().equals(mode)) {
-	    sessionId = NumberUtils.createLong(idStr);
+	    sessionId = NumberUtils.createLong(sessionIdString);
 	    HttpSession ss = SessionManager.getSession();
 	    // get back login user DTO
 	    UserDTO user = (UserDTO) ss.getAttribute(AttributeNames.USER);
@@ -143,7 +147,7 @@
 	    itemUid = 0L;
 	}
 	request.setAttribute(ResourceConstants.PARAM_RESOURCE_ITEM_UID, itemUid);
-	request.setAttribute(ResourceConstants.ATTR_TOOL_SESSION_ID, sessionId);
+	request.setAttribute(ResourceConstants.ATTR_TOOL_SESSION_ID, sessionIdString);
 	request.setAttribute(ResourceConstants.ATTR_SESSION_MAP_ID, sessionMapID);
 
 	return "pages/itemreview/itemContent";
@@ -183,8 +187,11 @@
     private ResourceItem getResourceItem(HttpServletRequest request, SessionMap<String, Object> sessionMap,
 	    String mode) {
 	ResourceItem item = null;
-	if (ToolAccessMode.AUTHOR.toString().equals(mode)) {
-	    int itemIdx = NumberUtils.stringToInt(request.getParameter(ResourceConstants.PARAM_ITEM_INDEX), 0);
+	if (ResourceConstants.MODE_AUTHOR_SESSION.equals(mode)) {
+	    Integer itemIdx = WebUtil.readIntParam(request, ResourceConstants.PARAM_ITEM_INDEX, true);
+	    if (itemIdx == null) {
+		itemIdx = 0;
+	    }
 	    // authoring: does not save item yet, so only has ItemList from session and identity by Index
 	    List<ResourceItem> resourceList = new ArrayList<>(getResourceItemList(sessionMap));
 	    item = resourceList.get(itemIdx);
Index: lams_tool_larsrc/web/pages/itemreview/itemContent.jsp
===================================================================
diff -u -rd3f5671d2d2b0e388e0f212fd6a3fd82c072644e -rd91247d69fe0a8fe3fe1750a0de83d5010fc6ad0
--- lams_tool_larsrc/web/pages/itemreview/itemContent.jsp	(.../itemContent.jsp)	(revision d3f5671d2d2b0e388e0f212fd6a3fd82c072644e)
+++ lams_tool_larsrc/web/pages/itemreview/itemContent.jsp	(.../itemContent.jsp)	(revision d91247d69fe0a8fe3fe1750a0de83d5010fc6ad0)
@@ -69,18 +69,20 @@
 		</div>
 	</c:if>
 	
-	<c:if test="${mode eq 'learner' && sessionMap.rateItems && allowRating}">
-		<lams:Rating itemRatingDto="${ratingDTO}" 
-					 disabled="${mode == 'teacher' || finishedLock}" allowRetries="true" />
+	<c:if test="${mode eq 'learner' or mode eq 'author'}">
+		<c:if test="${sessionMap.rateItems && allowRating}">
+			<lams:Rating itemRatingDto="${ratingDTO}" 
+						 disabled="${mode == 'teacher' || finishedLock}" allowRetries="true" />
+		</c:if>
+
+		<c:if test="${allowComments and not empty toolSessionID}">
+			<c:set var="accordianTitle"><fmt:message key="label.comments"/></c:set>
+			<lams:Comments toolSessionId="${toolSessionID}" toolSignature="<%=ResourceConstants.TOOL_SIGNATURE%>"
+						  embedInAccordian="true" accordionTitle="${accordianTitle}" mode="${mode}" toolItemId="${itemUid}"
+						  readOnly="${finishedLock}"/>	
+		</c:if>
 	</c:if>
 	
-	<c:if test="${mode eq 'learner' and allowComments and (mode eq 'learner' or mode eq 'author') and not empty toolSessionID}">
-		<c:set var="accordianTitle"><fmt:message key="label.comments"/></c:set>
-		<lams:Comments toolSessionId="${toolSessionID}" toolSignature="<%=ResourceConstants.TOOL_SIGNATURE%>"
-					  embedInAccordian="true" accordionTitle="${accordianTitle}" mode="${mode}" toolItemId="${itemUid}"
-					  readOnly="${finishedLock}"/>	
-	</c:if>
-	
 	<div class="content-panel">
 		<div class="text-center">
 			<a href="<c:url value='${resourceItemReviewUrl}' />" class="download-button hidden btn btn-primary">
Index: lams_tool_larsrc/web/pages/itemreview/mainframe.jsp
===================================================================
diff -u -ra7db44d7f5035ee4e4208645ee36d730f1328a92 -rd91247d69fe0a8fe3fe1750a0de83d5010fc6ad0
--- lams_tool_larsrc/web/pages/itemreview/mainframe.jsp	(.../mainframe.jsp)	(revision a7db44d7f5035ee4e4208645ee36d730f1328a92)
+++ lams_tool_larsrc/web/pages/itemreview/mainframe.jsp	(.../mainframe.jsp)	(revision d91247d69fe0a8fe3fe1750a0de83d5010fc6ad0)
@@ -23,7 +23,6 @@
 	</style>
 
 	<c:set var="sessionMap" value="${sessionScope[sessionMapID]}" />
-	<c:set var="mode" value="${sessionMap.mode}" />
 	<c:set var="toolSessionID" value="${sessionMap.toolSessionID}" />
 	
 	<lams:JSImport src="includes/javascript/rsrcembed.js" relative="true" />