Latching on to literacy

A new chapter for a University of Queensland innovative literacy program was officially launched on May 27 at Customs House, 399 Queen Street.

UQ’s Literacy and Technology Hands On (LATCH-ON) program has been providing a literacy program for young adults with intellectual disabilities for five years and tomorrow will announce a new collaboration with the Endeavour Foundation.

From next year, the Endeavour Foundation will make the LATCH-ON program available to its clients under a licensing agreement through The University of Queensland’s main commercialisation company, UniQuest Pty Limited.

LATCH-ON was initiated in 1998 by Dr Anne Jobling, a UQ researcher in Down’s Syndrome, with the help of Dr Karen Moni, a lecturer in English curriculum and literacy education in UQ`s School of Education.

The program is based on years of research within UQ’s Fred and Eleanor Schonell Special Education Research Centre and collaborative efforts with researchers in Australia, Europe and North America.

“LATCH-ON has graduated 24 students since the program began and we are hoping to reach many more through the Endeavour Foundation,” Dr Jobling said.

“An annual highlight for students, their parents and staff is the graduation ceremony that has featured special guest speakers such as Bronco’s coach Wayne Bennett, Brisbane Lion Luke Power and Paralympian Paul Cross.”

“It gives Karen and I and the other staff a huge amount of satisfaction to see young people break through the boundaries of what other people thought was possible for them and emerge as far more confident and assured individuals.”

As well as being a former Vice-Chancellor of UQ, the late Sir Fred Schonell, after whom the Special Education Research Centre was named, was also the inaugural President of the Endeavour Foundation.

“I’m sure Sir Fred would be very pleased to see two organisations with which had a strong association working so closely together to improve the lives of people with an intellectual disability,” said UQ Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) Professor Margaret Gardner.

Media: For further information contact Dr Jobling (telephone 07 3365 6405, email a.jobling@uq.edu.au) or Beth O’Brien (telephone 07 3365 8820, email beth.obrien@uq.edu.au).