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Quaker Valley High School students will return to class today without the laptop computers to which they've become accustomed because the batteries that power them could be dangerous.

The school district delayed distributing iBook computers to its 600 high school students. Officials will check the laptops to determine if they are affected by a battery recall issued by Apple Computer.

Apple has recalled 1.8 million lithium-ion batteries over concern that metal particles introduced into the battery cells when they were manufactured could cause computers to overheat and catch fire. Apple issued the recall last Thursday -- 10 days after Dell recalled the same lithium-ion batteries made by a Sony subsidiary in Japan.

Quaker Valley provides laptop computers to its students as a continuation of the Pennsylvania Digital School District, which began in the 2002-03 school year, with computers given to 1,800 students from third grade through high school. After the first year, the program was scaled back to just high school students -- who use the computers for much of their course work and turn in many assignments electronically.

Kate Jeffe, of Sewickley, a mother of five with two children at Quaker Valley High School this fall, said she never noticed a problem with the computer batteries, aside from them sometimes falling out.

"Overall, I think it's been pretty successful. My kids are very computer savvy now, and I think that has a lot to do with it," Jeffe said.

The school district intended to distribute the computers to students this Thursday, but spokeswoman Martha Smith said MacOutfitters in Cranberry would inspect the computers and replace batteries, if necessary. It was not known how many of the computers might be affected or how long the inspection would take.

"We will deploy our laptops once everything is OK," she said. "This will frustrate our teachers a little bit."

Smith said Apple will pay for checking the laptops and replacing batteries.

Apple received nine reports of lithium-ion battery packs overheating -- including two cases in which users suffered minor burns -- and some involving minor property damage.

Apple's recall covers 1.1 million rechargeable batteries in the 12-inch iBook G4; 12-inch PowerBook G4; and 15-inch PowerBook G4 laptops sold in the United States from October 2003 through this month, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

Owners were told to stop using the batteries and remove them. The laptops can be used when plugged into an AC power source.

Customers can call a toll-free hotline -- 800-275-2273 -- to determine if they have a battery that is covered by the recall. Apple will provide free replacements.

Information is available online at www.support.apple.com/batteryexchange.

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