The article deals with the issues of interaction between educational organizations and cultural institutions in the framework of expanding the educational space for students with disabilities. The results of the survey of specially trained teachers are analyzed, the general and methodological availability of the museum environment for students of different nosological groups is characterized, the regional view on the issues of organization of interaction “school - museum” is demonstrated.

The article deals with the results of theoretical research in the field of study of the methodological competencies of a special teacher. The research methods and the criteria for the quantitative and qualitative assessment of the pedagogical phenomenon from the point of the competence and system and activity approaches are represented in the article.

The article represents the research results regarding the dynamics of methodological competences developmentin the process of professional establishment. Based on the methodology founded on the competence, system and activity approaches, it deals with the evaluation and features of development of the essential and process aspects of the methodological competences at various stages of professional development of a teacher working with children with intellectual disabilities.

The article deals with the research results regarding the methodological training of future teachers of children with mental disabilities: substantiates the empiric work based on the point of the competence, system and activity approaches, describes the process and evaluation criteria for methodological competence, analyses the information that characterizes the development of the contents and procedural aspects of the competences during the 4 and 5 years of study.