Best-selling author writes TV drama about Down syndrome

Mark Haddon, who wrote a best-selling novel about a boy with Asperger's syndrome, "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time," has written his first TV drama. "Coming Down the Mountain" focuses on a young man's frustration with his brother, who has Down syndrome. The Independent (London)

Retired teachers return to fill in

With many U.S. districts short on certified teachers, some are asking retirees to return as substitutes. "There is truly a need for good substitute teachers," said Charlene Adams, who taught special education for 30 years before retiring, and now works as a substitute. The Washington Post

Riding program helps children with disabilities gain confidence

A Southern California therapeutic riding program helps 600 children and adults with disabilities overcome fear and gain confidence in themselves, equine therapists say. "It's fun to see how much they brighten up when they're riding," said Ashley Anderson, a 15-year-old volunteer. "You see how much horses can change lives here." San Diego Union-Tribune

First medication approved for children with schizophrenia

Risperdal, widely used by adults with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, has now been approved for teens with schizophrenia and preteens and teens with bipolar disorder. Schizophrenia is rare in younger teens, and until now there had been no approved medication for them. Orlando Sentinel (Fla.)/Associated Press , The New York Times/Reuters

N.Y. adds 17 schools to "persistently dangerous" list

A total 27 New York State schools, including a dozen for students with severe disabilities, are now considered "persistently dangerous" under NCLB. The other 49 U.S. states have together only listed 30 schools as "persistently dangerous," but the law allows each state to define the term. The New York Times

Ultraviolet film allows girl freedom from protective gear

Sacramento Bee/Autumn Cruz Five-year-old Aimee Milota has a very rare genetic condition, xeroderma pigmentosum, that limits her skin's ability to repair sun damage. She's been cancer-free for two years, however, and is enthusiastic about starting kindergarten next month at St. Francis of Assisi Elementary, whose windows have an ultraviolet-blocking film. Sacramento Bee/Autumn Cruz

Thanks to a protective ultraviolet-blocking film that will be put up in her school, Aimee Milota will attend kindergarten this fall like any other 5-year-old. Aimee, who has a rare genetic condition called xeroderma pigmentosum, cannot naturally recover from ultraviolet sunlight and has had 22 tumors removed. The Sacramento Bee (Calif.)

Organizers hope Paralympics will shift attitudes in China

As thousands of athletes with disabilities flood China for the Paralympics next summer, advocates hope the spotlight will help shift attitudes toward 83 million Chinese with disabilities who are often hidden from view. The Christian Science Monitor

NYC offers new options to students who fall behind

David Dorsey, 22, with a diploma, and his mother, Lydia. He said of a counselor, “I just decided to show up to get her off my back.”

Nearly 70,000 New York City students -- almost a quarter of the city's high school students -- are years away from obtaining enough credits to graduate. The city has established special centers to help young adults avoid the stigma of sitting in class next to 14-year-olds. The New York Times

Parents decry easy classes for students with disabilities

Two days after Michael Bredemeyer graduated, his parents sent his diploma back, saying teachers inflated his grades and accepted poor work. Some teachers say administrators have insisted that students with special needs pass despite failing work. The Wall Street Journal (free content)

MAKING THE GRADE

• The Issue: Some parents of students with learning disabilities say their children are graduating too easily.
• The Background: Federal laws raised school standards, but left loopholes. Increasingly, special-education students get special help to pass tests.
• The Problem: If schools game the system, those students move on without the skills they need.

Does RTI help or hinder?

As districts and states increasingly adapt "response to intervention" as a way to target young students before they fall behind, some educators and disability advocates worry it may delay services for some children with special needs. Parents can still demand a special-education assessment, but many are unaware of the rule. The Wall Street Journal

Restaurant chain's Autism Family Night helps stressed parents

Knowing that eating out was hard on her little brother with autism and their parents, 16-year-old Alexandra Abend helped 35 Massachusetts T.G.I. Friday's host an evening for children with autism. During the Autism Family Night, Alexandra's brother "had one of his episodes ... except no one was really looking at him and saying, 'What's wrong with your child? Why is he acting like that?' Instead, people asked, 'Are you okay? Do you need anything?' " TIME

Tips for teachers: How to establish your place in a new school

New teachers should find allies, avoid complainers and speak their mind from the start, says veteran National Board-certified teacher David Cohen. When disagreeing with other educators, express respectful disagreement to build credibility and a reputation for professionalism. Teacher Magazine

Genetic discovery brings new insight into autism

Connor, 12, and his bother Bryan Murdock-Gould,16, pose with their parents Lauretta and David Murdock-Gould at their home in Port Washington on Friday, August 03, 2007. (Newsday/Ana P. Gutierrez / August 3, 2007)

Autism may be passed on from mother to child in much the same way as Down syndrome is, researchers say. "This is about the most exciting thing that has ever come along," said Portia Iversen, who established the Cure Autism Now Foundation. "This is a different lens in how we look at it. Their work sheds new light on autism." Newsday (Long Island, N.Y.)

Conflicting diagnoses often create conflict

When a doctor's diagnosis conflicts with school special-education evaluations, parents of children with special needs often feel they must push educators to ensure their child receives services. Fort Worth Star-Telegram (Texas)

How can parent-educator clashes be resolved?:

Washington Post columnist Jay Mathews looks at what can be learned from painful and personal clashes between educators and parents. In the first of a series, he considers parents who clashed with school leaders who dismissed a popular third-grade teacher. The Washington Post

Social-networking site adds education component

A new site, StudyCurve.com, aims to help students network for study groups or connect with experts to answer questions. "It's something we're going to see more and more of, is this need to learn when you want to, when you need to and when you're on the move," e-learning analyst Claire Schooley said. "It's the direct opposite of sitting down and listening to somebody in a classroom." The Boston Globe/Associated Press

School Recruiters Turn To 'Innovative Places'

Julieta Perez and Ireneo Abadejos, came from the Philippines to help fill a teacher shortage in Prince George's County. (By Mark Gail -- The Washington Post)

The Filipino teachers are coveted by U.S. school systems, such as Prince George's. The county has 1,000 vacancies to fill by mid-August, and it recently hired a marketing firm and launched a Web site to boost recruitment.

"We're going to continue to look for teachers in innovative places," said Robert Gaskin, the system's recruitment officer. The Washington Post

I came to DC Public Schools the same way in October 2003. Now, after four years, I not only survived but thrived. Yes, tough times never last but tough people do. I wrote my reflections on my class website hoping that newbie teachers may learn something from my experience.

N.C. district revamps special education after parent complaints

As Chapel Hill-Carrboro schools revamp their special-education services, some are calling for more accountability, increased training and greater inclusion. "We've made progress, but the acceleration of the speed of the progress hasn't happened," said Jamezetta Bedford, the school board's chairwoman. The News & Observer (Raleigh, N.C.)

We badly need a special education revamp too here in DCPS ...I believe Chancellor Rhee has this in her transition plan.

Study: Gene tied to ADHD may also help teens grow out of it

ADHD brains: Scientists found that children with ADHD who had a particular genetic variation started out with an unusually thin cortex in the parts of the brain important for attention. But over time, their brains became indistinguishable from those of healthy teens. This time-lapse series of images shows how their brains normalized over time--the brightly colored sections indicate the parts of the brain that were most different in the ADHD group. These sections disappear as the children aged. Credit: Philip Shaw, M.D., NIMH Child Psychiatry Branch

A gene that increases a child's risk of ADHD may also be responsible for helping children grow out of the disorder, according to a new National Institute of Mental Health study. Children with the gene variation had abnormal brain function at age 8 but normal activity by age 16. Technology Review

Wisconsin may require insurance companies to cover autism

Wisconsin's governor wants to add the state to 17 in the country that require health insurance plans to cover autism treatment. Many insurance companies don't cover autism under their plans because it is classified as an emotional disorder rather than a neurological one, leaving many on lengthy waiting lists for state services. Insurance Journal

Bullies, victims face increased mental-health risks

Male bullies and their victims are at greater risk of mental health disorders as young men, according to a new study published Monday in the journal Pediatrics. Bullies were more likely to be diagnosed with antisocial personality disorder, and victims have an elevated risk of anxiety disorders. The Globe and Mail (Toronto)/Reuters

Children with disabilities learn to sail

In a sailing camp for kids with learning disabilities, instructor Steve Taylor sails with camper Brennan Connelly, right, during a race on the St. Mary's River. (Photos By James A. Parcell For The Washington Post)

A Maryland sailing camp for students with learning disabilities, autism and ADHD gives children confidence, says Jim Muldoon, who watched his own son thrive in the water despite a learning disability. "This is a skill that you learn by feel, by intuition, by response and it's not something you have to read [in] a book or study," he said. The Washington Post