The University of Queensland’s oldest research centre is celebrating an important milestone – its 50th anniversary.
The Fred and Eleanor Schonell Special Education Research Centre was established in 1952 as the Remedial Education Centre and is widely-regarded as Australia’s pre-eminent centre for research into special education and disabilities.
“As its name suggests, the Centre’s main focus is to be at the forefront of research into individuals with diverse needs,” said Centre Director Dr Christa van Kraayenoord.
“This includes research into intellectual disabilities, learning difficulties, autism, inclusive education, families of individuals with disabilities, at-risk youth, cooperative learning, and community participation and quality of life.”
To celebrate its 50th anniversary, the Centre is holding a three-day conference entitled Celebrating the Past: Envisioning the Future from Friday, October 11–Sunday, October 13.
Arguably the Centre’s best-known research is the Down Syndrome Research Program – the world’s longest continuous study of Down syndrome, having been established for 25 years.
More than 250 families have participated in the research, with children from birth to adulthood, providing unique insights into the cognitive, language and affective development and health of individuals with Down syndrome as well as information about family functioning.
In an effort to enhance the literacy development of 18-22 year olds with Down syndrome, the Centre also established the highly successful LATCH-ON Program, which uses a combination of computer technology and other methods of literary instruction.
“We have made remarkable inroads. Fifty years ago, the goal of inclusion into the community would have been a remote, unattainable vision for many people with disabilities,” Dr van Kraayenoord said.
“However there is still a lot to be learnt and the Centre plans to continue to play an active role in advancing knowledge about how to obtain this goal for everyone.”
Current research projects include literacy development for people with learning difficulties and disabilities, training for families with children who show early signs of autism, self-regulation and juvenile delinquency, institutional reform and transition into the community, and health, eating and physical activity of children with Down syndrome and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
The Centre’s reputation is highlighted by its long list of international research collaborations, which includes studies into inclusive education (Korea Institute for Special Education), delayed gratification in children (Liaoning Normal University, China), and reading and metacognition (University of Würzburg, Germany).
The conference will showcase recent research by Centre staff and students into people with disabilities, learning difficulties and at-risk youth.
“It will celebrate the research and service traditions carried out over the past 50 years and highlight the new directions and agendas for future research related to individuals with diverse needs,” Dr van Kraayenoord said.
Speakers will include previous Schonell Centre staff Dr Paul Berry, Neuerkerode Foundation, Germany; and Professor John McLeod, University of Saskatchewan; as well as former student Dr Patricia O’Brien, Auckland College of Education, New Zealand.
Other guest speakers include Professor Claude Goldenberg from the California State University who will speak about classroom reform in schools with diverse populations.
Situated at the University’s St Lucia campus, the Centre was founded by former Vice-Chancellor and UQ’s first Professor of Education, Sir Fred Schonell. In 1967 the Centre was renamed to honour its founder and his wife Eleanor, a respected educational psychologist, well-known for her work with children with cerebral palsy.
Over the past decade the Centre has attracted more than $2 million in grants to fund its research projects and has generated nearly 400 publications.
People interested in attending the conference should contact Meredith MacLeod (telephone 07 3365 8553, email: meredith.macleod@bigpond.com) by Monday, October 7.
Media: for further information, contact Dr van Kraayenoord (telephone 07 3365 6521, email: c.vankraayenoord@uq.edu.au) or Joanne van Zeeland at UQ Communications (telephone 07 3365 2619 or email: communications@uq.edu.au).
