diff --git a/lms/static/coffee/src/discussion/utils.coffee b/lms/static/coffee/src/discussion/utils.coffee
index 392aa04538..746cc308cf 100644
--- a/lms/static/coffee/src/discussion/utils.coffee
+++ b/lms/static/coffee/src/discussion/utils.coffee
@@ -107,6 +107,9 @@ class @DiscussionUtil
       [event, selector] = eventSelector.split(' ')
       $local(selector).unbind(event)[event] handler
 
+  @processTag: (text) ->
+    text.toLowerCase()
+
   @tagsInputOptions: ->
     autocomplete_url: @urlFor('tags_autocomplete')
     autocomplete:
@@ -116,6 +119,7 @@ class @DiscussionUtil
     width: '100%'
     defaultText: "Tag your post: press enter after each tag"
     removeWithBackspace: true
+    preprocessTag: @processTag
 
   @formErrorHandler: (errorsField) ->
     (xhr, textStatus, error) ->
diff --git a/lms/static/js/jquery.tagsinput.js b/lms/static/js/jquery.tagsinput.js
index b05a87ca99..563567ac46 100644
--- a/lms/static/js/jquery.tagsinput.js
+++ b/lms/static/js/jquery.tagsinput.js
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 /*
 
 	jQuery Tags Input Plugin 1.3.3
-	
+
 	Copyright (c) 2011 XOXCO, Inc
-	
+
 	Documentation for this plugin lives here:
 	http://xoxco.com/clickable/jquery-tags-input
-	
+
 	Licensed under the MIT license:
 	http://www.opensource.org/licenses/mit-license.php
 
@@ -24,9 +24,9 @@
 	        val = '',
 	        input = $(this),
 	        testSubject = $('#'+$(this).data('tester_id'));
-	
+
 	    if (val === (val = input.val())) {return;}
-	
+
 	    // Enter new content into testSubject
 	    var escaped = val.replace(/&/g, '&amp;').replace(/\s/g,' ').replace(/</g, '&lt;').replace(/>/g, '&gt;');
 	    testSubject.html(escaped);
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@
 	        currentWidth = input.width(),
 	        isValidWidthChange = (newWidth < currentWidth && newWidth >= minWidth)
 	                             || (newWidth > minWidth && newWidth < maxWidth);
-	
+
 	    // Animate width
 	    if (isValidWidthChange) {
 	        input.width(newWidth);
@@ -72,19 +72,24 @@
     input.data('tester_id', testerId);
     input.css('width', minWidth);
   };
-  
+
 	$.fn.addTag = function(value,options) {
 			options = jQuery.extend({focus:false,callback:true},options);
-			this.each(function() { 
+			this.each(function() {
 				var id = $(this).attr('id');
 
 				var tagslist = $(this).val().split(delimiter[id]);
-				if (tagslist[0] == '') { 
+				if (tagslist[0] == '') {
 					tagslist = new Array();
 				}
 
 				value = jQuery.trim(value);
-		
+
+				if (options.callback && tags_callbacks[id] && tags_callbacks[id]['preprocessTag']) {
+					var f = tags_callbacks[id]['preprocessTag'];
+					value = f.call(this, value);
+				}
+
 				if (options.unique) {
 					var skipTag = $(this).tagExist(value);
 					if(skipTag == true) {
@@ -92,10 +97,10 @@
     				    $('#'+id+'_tag').addClass('not_valid');
     				}
 				} else {
-					var skipTag = false; 
+					var skipTag = false;
 				}
-				
-				if (value !='' && skipTag != true) { 
+
+				if (value !='' && skipTag != true) {
                     $('<span>').addClass('tag').append(
                         $('<span>').text(value).append('&nbsp;&nbsp;'),
                         $('<a>', {
@@ -108,16 +113,16 @@
                     ).insertBefore('#' + id + '_addTag');
 
 					tagslist.push(value);
-				
+
 					$('#'+id+'_tag').val('');
 					if (options.focus) {
 						$('#'+id+'_tag').focus();
-					} else {		
+					} else {
 						$('#'+id+'_tag').blur();
 					}
-					
+
 					$.fn.tagsInput.updateTagsField(this,tagslist);
-					
+
 					if (options.callback && tags_callbacks[id] && tags_callbacks[id]['onAddTag']) {
 						var f = tags_callbacks[id]['onAddTag'];
 						f.call(this, value);
@@ -127,29 +132,29 @@
 						var i = tagslist.length;
 						var f = tags_callbacks[id]['onChange'];
 						f.call(this, $(this), tagslist[i-1]);
-					}					
+					}
 				}
-		
-			});		
-			
+
+			});
+
 			return false;
 		};
-		
-	$.fn.removeTag = function(value) { 
+
+	$.fn.removeTag = function(value) {
 			value = unescape(value);
-			this.each(function() { 
+			this.each(function() {
 				var id = $(this).attr('id');
-	
+
 				var old = $(this).val().split(delimiter[id]);
-					
+
 				$('#'+id+'_tagsinput .tag').remove();
 				str = '';
-				for (i=0; i< old.length; i++) { 
-					if (old[i]!=value) { 
+				for (i=0; i< old.length; i++) {
+					if (old[i]!=value) {
 						str = str + delimiter[id] +old[i];
 					}
 				}
-				
+
 				$.fn.tagsInput.importTags(this,str);
 
 				if (tags_callbacks[id] && tags_callbacks[id]['onRemoveTag']) {
@@ -157,24 +162,24 @@
 					f.call(this, value);
 				}
 			});
-					
+
 			return false;
 		};
-	
+
 	$.fn.tagExist = function(val) {
 		var id = $(this).attr('id');
 		var tagslist = $(this).val().split(delimiter[id]);
 		return (jQuery.inArray(val, tagslist) >= 0); //true when tag exists, false when not
 	};
-	
+
 	// clear all existing tags and import new ones from a string
 	$.fn.importTags = function(str) {
                 id = $(this).attr('id');
 		$('#'+id+'_tagsinput .tag').remove();
 		$.fn.tagsInput.importTags(this,str);
 	}
-		
-	$.fn.tagsInput = function(options) { 
+
+	$.fn.tagsInput = function(options) {
     var settings = jQuery.extend({
       interactive:true,
       defaultText:'add a tag',
@@ -192,15 +197,15 @@
       inputPadding: 6*2
     },options);
 
-		this.each(function() { 
-			if (settings.hide) { 
-				$(this).hide();				
+		this.each(function() {
+			if (settings.hide) {
+				$(this).hide();
 			}
 			var id = $(this).attr('id');
 			if (!id || delimiter[$(this).attr('id')]) {
 				id = $(this).attr('id', 'tags' + new Date().getTime()).attr('id');
 			}
-			
+
 			var data = jQuery.extend({
 				pid:id,
 				real_input: '#'+id,
@@ -208,57 +213,58 @@
 				input_wrapper: '#'+id+'_addTag',
 				fake_input: '#'+id+'_tag'
 			},settings);
-	
+
 			delimiter[id] = data.delimiter;
-			
-			if (settings.onAddTag || settings.onRemoveTag || settings.onChange) {
+
+			if (settings.onAddTag || settings.onRemoveTag || settings.onChange || settings.preprocessTag) {
 				tags_callbacks[id] = new Array();
 				tags_callbacks[id]['onAddTag'] = settings.onAddTag;
 				tags_callbacks[id]['onRemoveTag'] = settings.onRemoveTag;
 				tags_callbacks[id]['onChange'] = settings.onChange;
+				tags_callbacks[id]['preprocessTag'] = settings.preprocessTag;
 			}
-	
+
 			var markup = '<div id="'+id+'_tagsinput" class="tagsinput"><div id="'+id+'_addTag">';
-			
+
 			if (settings.interactive) {
 				markup = markup + '<input id="'+id+'_tag" value="" data-default="'+settings.defaultText+'" />';
 			}
-			
+
 			markup = markup + '</div><div class="tags_clear"></div></div>';
-			
+
 			$(markup).insertAfter(this);
-      
+
 
 			$(data.holder).css('width',settings.width);
 			$(data.holder).css('min-height',settings.height);
 			$(data.holder).css('height','100%');
-	
-			if ($(data.real_input).val()!='') { 
+
+			if ($(data.real_input).val()!='') {
 				$.fn.tagsInput.importTags($(data.real_input),$(data.real_input).val());
-			}		
-			if (settings.interactive) { 
+			}
+			if (settings.interactive) {
 				$(data.fake_input).val($(data.fake_input).attr('data-default'));
 				$(data.fake_input).css('color',settings.placeholderColor);
 		        $(data.fake_input).resetAutosize(settings);
-		
+
         $(data.fake_input).doAutosize(settings);
 				$(data.holder).bind('click',data,function(event) {
 					$(event.data.fake_input).focus();
 				});
-			
+
 				$(data.fake_input).bind('focus',data,function(event) {
-					if ($(event.data.fake_input).val()==$(event.data.fake_input).attr('data-default')) { 
+					if ($(event.data.fake_input).val()==$(event.data.fake_input).attr('data-default')) {
 						$(event.data.fake_input).val('');
 					}
-					$(event.data.fake_input).css('color','#000000');		
+					$(event.data.fake_input).css('color','#000000');
 				});
-						
+
 				if (settings.autocomplete_url != undefined) {
 					autocomplete_options = {source: settings.autocomplete_url};
-					for (attrname in settings.autocomplete) { 
-						autocomplete_options[attrname] = settings.autocomplete[attrname]; 
+					for (attrname in settings.autocomplete) {
+						autocomplete_options[attrname] = settings.autocomplete[attrname];
 					}
-				
+
 					if (jQuery.Autocompleter !== undefined) {
             onSelectCallback = settings.autocomplete.onItemSelect;
             settings.autocomplete.onItemSelect = function() {
@@ -278,18 +284,18 @@
 						$(data.fake_input).autocomplete(autocomplete_options);
 						$(data.fake_input).bind('autocompleteselect',data,function(event,ui) {
 							$(event.data.real_input).addTag(ui.item.value,{focus:true,unique:(settings.unique)});
-              
+
 							return false;
 						});
 					}
-				
-					
+
+
 				} else {
 						// if a user tabs out of the field, create a new tag
 						// this is only available if autocomplete is not used.
-						$(data.fake_input).bind('blur',data,function(event) { 
+						$(data.fake_input).bind('blur',data,function(event) {
 							var d = $(this).attr('data-default');
-							if ($(event.data.fake_input).val()!='' && $(event.data.fake_input).val()!=d) { 
+							if ($(event.data.fake_input).val()!='' && $(event.data.fake_input).val()!=d) {
 								if( (event.data.minChars <= $(event.data.fake_input).val().length) && (!event.data.maxChars || (event.data.maxChars >= $(event.data.fake_input).val().length)) )
 									$(event.data.real_input).addTag($(event.data.fake_input).val(),{focus:true,unique:(settings.unique)});
 							} else {
@@ -298,7 +304,7 @@
 							}
 							return false;
 						});
-				
+
 				}
 				// if user types a comma, create a new tag
 				$(data.fake_input).bind('keypress',data,function(event) {
@@ -326,7 +332,7 @@
 					}
 				});
 				$(data.fake_input).blur();
-				
+
 				//Removes the not_valid class when user changes the value of the fake input
 				if(data.unique) {
 				    $(data.fake_input).keydown(function(event){
@@ -337,21 +343,21 @@
 				}
 			} // if settings.interactive
 		});
-			
+
 		return this;
-	
+
 	};
-	
-	$.fn.tagsInput.updateTagsField = function(obj,tagslist) { 
+
+	$.fn.tagsInput.updateTagsField = function(obj,tagslist) {
 		var id = $(obj).attr('id');
 		$(obj).val(tagslist.join(delimiter[id]));
 	};
-	
-	$.fn.tagsInput.importTags = function(obj,val) {			
+
+	$.fn.tagsInput.importTags = function(obj,val) {
 		$(obj).val('');
 		var id = $(obj).attr('id');
 		var tags = val.split(delimiter[id]);
-		for (i=0; i<tags.length; i++) { 
+		for (i=0; i<tags.length; i++) {
 			$(obj).addTag(tags[i],{focus:false,callback:false});
 		}
 		if(tags_callbacks[id] && tags_callbacks[id]['onChange'])