Teresa Żółkowska Introduction. Special pedagogy – conceptions and the reality CONTENTS I Sociopedagogical context of special pedagogy 1. Marzenna Zaorska, Education of the Deafblind – Reality of Educational Practice (critical reflections) 2. Andrzej Twardowski, Trends in the development of Polish special pedagogy 3. Iwona Chrzanowska, The system changes in education vs. the needs of a mildly mentally disabled student 4. Barbara Kromolicka, The development of the society’s social culture- a chance for disabled people and their families II Special pedagogue 1. Dorota Podgórska-Jachnik, Special Pedagogy as Multicultural Pedagogy – Multicultural Pedagogy as Special Pedagogy 2. Danuta Kopeć, New theoretical contexts in the understanding of autonomy in Polish special pedagogy    3. Zbigniew Bohdan, Magdalena Góra-Gębka, „Let me go away…” – the last teaching of Pope, meditations of the hospitium’s medical doctor    4. Katarzyna Parys, Preparation of special pedagogues for performing professional roles                                          III Social dimension of special pedagogy – development support 1. Barbara Olszewska, Past and future of home education 2. Karolina Żółkowska, Social support of mentally ill people in Great Britain   3. Beata Cytowska, Pedagogical approach to a small child receiving early – interdisciplinary help (the programme of early intervention) 4. Bożena Grzeszkiewicz, The Adaptation of a Disabled Child to Nursery School 5. Lucyna Fidor, The system of probation in the reintegration of charges. Case study 6. Hubert Kupiec, Teachers’ needs and possibilities in overcoming educational problems 7. Agata Nowak, Psychomotor tests as a method of assessment of preschool children’s development 8. Dorota Lizoń-Szłapowska, Open Market Vocational Activation of Intellectually Handicapped People in the Light of Research IV Mental retardation – pedagogical seeking 1. Sławomira Sadowska, Satisfaction with the school as an indicator of students’ life quality – the context for special education of students with mild mental disability 2. Bożena Bobeł, The role and significance of home in the process of rehabilitation of a child with mental retardation 3. Karol Bidziński, Forms of help given to the parents of children with high degree of mental disability – a subjective assessment of received social support 4. Maria Kościółek, Małgorzata Trojańska, Intentional communication in children with deeper intellectual disability 5. Maria Kurek, Conditions for efficient preparation persons with high degree of intellectually disability to vocational activity V Contexts of particular disciplines of special pedagogy 1. Marcin Białas, Philosophical approach towards rehabilitation of the deaf 2. Joanna Szymanowska, Community support for families with sick and disabled children as exemplified by the studies in the region of Sokółka 3. Izabela Antos, The need to educate future teachers in sound emission 4. Małgorzata Paplińska, Possibilities and adaptation scope of test problems for blind students 5. Małgorzata Czerwińska, Literary book of blind authors – subject of interdisciplinary research. reflections on methodology VI Educational contexts of mentally retarded people’s integration.  1. Zdzisława Janiszewska-Nieścioruk, Perspectives and threats of social integration of mentally retarded people 2. Jarosław Bąbka, School organizational culture and social integration of disabled schoolchildren 3. Bernadeta Szczupał, Youth with disability towards their educational and social vocational future 4. Danuta Wolska, Determinants of effective therapeutic interaction in work with children with the deep multiple disabilities VII Social context of integration    1. Beata Jachimczak, Attitudes towards disability – chance of social acceptance 2. Elżbieta M. Minczakiewicz, Growing up to co-being– in search of better ways of social integration of the disabled 3. Bogumiła Witkowska, Stereotypes and prejudices towards mentally ill 4. Sławomir Olszewski, Situation of disabled persons in the local community. Opinions of local government representatives 5. Julitta Nowak,Social portrait of people who use social support 6. Jolanta Ostasz, Chosen factors that condition the level of social competences of children with cerebral palsy 7. Małgorzata Sikoń, Family with an intellectually handicapped child 8. Katarzyna Franczak – Nowak, Disabled on the job market 9. Małgorzata Ogorzałek, Occupational activation of intellectually disabled people – research report 10. Paweł Nowak, Barriers of labor market in zachodniopomorski region		Reviewers of polish papers; Prof. dr hab. Helena Łaś Prof. zw dr hab. Czesław Kosakowski Partial correction in english language and translation selected articles Karolina Żółkowska