The book Uma Vida por Escrito (Vol. 1 – Publications in the National Plan) is now available. This facsimile edition brings together key texts by Ana Maria Bénard da Costa, a leading figure in the field of special education in Portugal.

The publication follows the release of Memórias de uma educação especial – do modelo médico à educação inclusiva, and compiles a selection of essential writings that shaped the author’s educational thinking and practice over recent decades. The book documents her work at institutions such as the Hellen Keller Centre, the Institute of Assistance to Minors (where she coordinated the Service for the Education of the Visually Impaired), and later her role at the Ministry of Education as Director of Special Education Services — a position in which she played a central role in shaping public policies for the inclusion of students with disabilities.

Published by Edições Universitárias Lusófonas (EUL), the book was edited by Isabel Amaral, Ana Maria Bénard da Costa, and Francisco Alberto Ramos Leitão, and represents a valuable contribution to the history of inclusive education in Portugal.

"This book is not just a documentary record, but a tribute to the coherence, vision, and lifelong commitment of Dr. Ana Maria Bénard da Costa to a more just and human education." – Francisco Ramos Leitão and Isabel Amaral

Read the ebook here. [Portuguese]