Having trouble keeping up with what’s new in the world of learning disabilities (LD)? Our news roundup is here to share the latest on LD from newspapers and blogs. On deck for this week: a new documentary on dyslexia, the power of an educator’s advocacy, and new efforts to put brain research on LD into practice in the classroom.  Read on to learn more!

James Redford’s ‘D Word' Cracks the Code of Dyslexia (The Salt Lake Tribune)
Veteran documentarian James Redford has turned his camera to dyslexia in his new film, “The D Word: Understanding Dyslexia,” which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival this week. Inspired by his dyslexic son, Redford’s documentary explores the science behind dyslexia as well as stories of successful people living with it. Read this interview with Redford from the Salt Lake Tribune to learn more about the film and Redford’s advice to parents of kids with dyslexia.

• Read the full article at the Salt Lake Tribune.
• Learn more about the basics of dyslexia at LD.org.

Rebecca Tolson’s Passion to Help Dyslexic Students Pays Off (The Huffington Post)
Named the Huffington Post’s “greatest person of the day,” educator Rebecca Tolson shows the difference that an educator’s passion and advocacy can make for students with LD.  The North Canton, Ohio special educator worked with a local legislator to write and advocate for Ohio House Bill 157, which encourages Ohio’s Educational Service Centers to hire dyslexia specialists to provide training to K-4 teachers. The bill has passed the Ohio House and Senate and will soon be signed.  Learn more about Tolson’s inspiration and action in this article from The Huffington Post.

• Read the full article at The Huffington Post.
• Learn more about working with policy makers to advocate for students with LD at LD.org.

Special Educators Borrow from Brain Studies (Education Week)
Recent years have seen tremendous strides in neuroscientists’ understanding of LD and other learning challenges like Asperger’s Syndrome and AD/HD. But does this research reach the classroom and make a difference for struggling students? Check out this article from Education Week to learn about a variety of new programs that are adapting techniques from brain research to help students with disabilities.

• Read the full article at Education Week.
• Learn more about the neurobiology of LD at LD.org.

NIH Announces Funding for New Learning Disabilities Research Centers (NIH News)
The National Institutes of Health have provided funding to four centers to conduct research on the causes and treatment of LD. The centers are located at universities in Colorado, Texas, Florida, and Washington and will be focusing on reading comprehension and writing.  Find out more about the centers and the research they will be performing at the NIH News.

• Read the full article at NIH News.
• Learn about other government-funded research projects, such as those conducted by the U.S. Department of Education, at LD.org.

Need to catch up with the most recent articles and resources on LD.org? Check out “New on LD.org,” where you can get all of the latest information on LD.org in one place.