diff --git a/common/static/coffee/src/discussion/discussion.coffee b/common/static/coffee/src/discussion/discussion.coffee
index 068cde3de4..9cee068b74 100644
--- a/common/static/coffee/src/discussion/discussion.coffee
+++ b/common/static/coffee/src/discussion/discussion.coffee
@@ -39,6 +39,8 @@ if Backbone?
           url = DiscussionUtil.urlFor 'threads'
         when 'followed'
           url = DiscussionUtil.urlFor 'followed_threads', options.user_id
+      if options['group_id']
+        data['group_id'] = options['group_id']
       data['sort_key'] = sort_options.sort_key || 'date'
       data['sort_order'] = sort_options.sort_order || 'desc'
       DiscussionUtil.safeAjax
diff --git a/common/static/coffee/src/discussion/views/discussion_thread_list_view.coffee b/common/static/coffee/src/discussion/views/discussion_thread_list_view.coffee
index c5f66c87ec..dc5b42dbf5 100644
--- a/common/static/coffee/src/discussion/views/discussion_thread_list_view.coffee
+++ b/common/static/coffee/src/discussion/views/discussion_thread_list_view.coffee
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ if Backbone?
       "click .browse-topic-drop-search-input": "ignoreClick"
       "click .post-list .list-item a": "threadSelected"
       "click .post-list .more-pages a": "loadMorePages"
+      "change .cohort-options": "chooseCohort"
       'keyup .browse-topic-drop-search-input': DiscussionFilter.filterDrop
 
     initialize: ->
@@ -128,10 +129,20 @@ if Backbone?
       switch @mode
         when 'search'
           options.search_text = @current_search
+          if @group_id
+            options.group_id = @group_id          
         when 'followed'
           options.user_id = window.user.id
+          options.group_id = "all"
         when 'commentables'
           options.commentable_ids = @discussionIds
+          if @group_id
+            options.group_id = @group_id
+        when 'all'
+          if @group_id
+            options.group_id = @group_id
+        
+    
       @collection.retrieveAnotherPage(@mode, options, {sort_key: @sortBy})
 
     renderThread: (thread) =>
@@ -263,13 +274,19 @@ if Backbone?
         if discussionId == "#all"
           @discussionIds = ""
           @$(".post-search-field").val("")
+          @$('.cohort').show()                    
           @retrieveAllThreads()
         else if discussionId == "#following"
           @retrieveFollowed(event)
+          @$('.cohort').hide()
         else
           discussionIds = _.map item.find(".board-name[data-discussion_id]"), (board) -> $(board).data("discussion_id").id
           @retrieveDiscussions(discussionIds)
-
+    
+    chooseCohort: (event) ->
+      @group_id = @$('.cohort-options :selected').val()
+      @retrieveAllThreads()
+      
     retrieveDiscussion: (discussion_id, callback=null) ->
       url = DiscussionUtil.urlFor("retrieve_discussion", discussion_id)
       DiscussionUtil.safeAjax
diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/django_comment_client/forum/views.py b/lms/djangoapps/django_comment_client/forum/views.py
index 1cea627bc0..e2f5e0f442 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/django_comment_client/forum/views.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/django_comment_client/forum/views.py
@@ -61,13 +61,27 @@ def get_threads(request, course_id, discussion_id=None, per_page=THREADS_PER_PAG
         cc_user.save()
 
 
-    #if the course-user is cohorted, then add the group id
-    group_id = get_cohort_id(request.user, course_id)
+    #there are 2 dimensions to consider when executing a search with respect to group id
+    #is user a moderator
+    #did the user request a group
     
-    #if you're an instructor, show everything
-    if group_id and not cached_has_permission(request.user, "see_all_cohorts", course_id):
+    #if the user requested a group explicitly, give them that group, othewrise, if mod, show all, else if student, use cohort
+    
+    group_id = request.GET.get('group_id')
+    
+    if group_id == "all":
+        group_id = None
+    
+    if not group_id:
+        if not cached_has_permission(request.user, "see_all_cohorts", course_id):
+            group_id = get_cohort_id(request.user, course_id)
+        
+    if group_id:
         default_query_params["group_id"] = group_id
 
+        
+    #so by default, a moderator sees all items, and a student sees his cohort
+        
     query_params = merge_dict(default_query_params,
                               strip_none(extract(request.GET,
                                                  ['page', 'sort_key',
@@ -76,7 +90,6 @@ def get_threads(request, course_id, discussion_id=None, per_page=THREADS_PER_PAG
 
     threads, page, num_pages = cc.Thread.search(query_params)
     
-    
     #now add the group name if the thread has a group id
     for thread in threads:
         if thread.get('group_id'):
@@ -229,6 +242,11 @@ def forum_form_discussion(request, course_id):
             'is_course_cohorted': is_course_cohorted(course_id)
         }
         # print "start rendering.."
+        print "\n\n\n\n\n\n*************************"
+        print is_course_cohorted(course_id)
+        print cached_has_permission(request.user, "see_all_cohorts", course_id)
+        print cohorts
+        
         
         return render_to_response('discussion/index.html', context)
 
diff --git a/lms/templates/discussion/_thread_list_template.html b/lms/templates/discussion/_thread_list_template.html
index c7e06ba48b..98fdea0045 100644
--- a/lms/templates/discussion/_thread_list_template.html
+++ b/lms/templates/discussion/_thread_list_template.html
@@ -18,6 +18,17 @@
             <li><a href="#" data-sort="votes">votes</a></li>
             <li><a href="#" data-sort="comments">comments</a></li>
         </ul>
+        
+
+        %if is_course_cohorted and is_moderator:
+        <span class="group-filter-label cohort">Show:</span>
+            <select class="group-filter-select cohort-options cohort"> 
+                <option value="all">All Groups</option>
+                    %for c in cohorts:
+                        <option value="${c.id}">${c.name} and public</option>
+                    %endfor
+            </select>        
+        %endif
     </div>
     <div class="post-list-wrapper">
         <ul class="post-list">