The Intersectionality of Twice-Exceptionality: Historic, Current, and Future Perspectives

Abstract

Generally speaking, twice-exceptional students are those who qualify for both special education and gifted education services. However, special education and gifted education in the U.S. educational system was developed and continue to operate in isolation. Twice exceptional (2e) students come from every cultural, socioeconomic, racial, and ethnic group, and it can be difficult to identify and serve them in schools. They require an interdisciplinary collaboration between informed teachers, specialists, and parents to achieve their potential. This introductory chapter offers background information that sets a foundation for understanding the complex nature of twice exceptionality. It highlights a synthesis of working definitions, key concepts, and the subsequent development of programs designed to service 2e students. The history of twice-exceptionality as a construct is presented through multiple lenses to provide developmental context and further explore the concept of multi-exceptionality. Bronfenbrenner’s bioecological theory, as a system-level framework, is used to explore twice exceptionality within the context of intersectionality of school, family, culture, and economic structures to inform the changes necessary in current teaching and parenting practices. Leveraging and strengthening the family–school relationship through communication and collaboration have shown to reduce cultural discontinuity and implicit bias from decades of misinformation regarding giftedness and other learning exceptionalities. The chapter concludes with a global perspective for recommendations toward future twice-exceptionality research.