Past, Present, and Future of Twice-Exceptionality

A Doctoral Comprehensive Performance Assessment Matrix Reflection on Theory

By: Amra Mohammed
Writing this major paper has provided me with a critical opportunity to learn and practice

the specific skills involved in accomplishing scientific research and writing--finding research

studies that relate to my topic, choosing high-quality scholarly articles for references, evaluating

methodologies, refining my topic and narrowing my focus as needed, synthesizing a large

amount of information, and writing academic papers. The process of completing this paper has

also provided much illumination about twice-exceptionality and allowed me to develop an in-

depth understanding of pertinent research and studies related to my topic.

I started from the beginning and researched the natural development of the field of

special/gifted education to see how the interest in twice-exceptionality became an issue and how

legislation has played an essential role in the increased interest in providing appropriate

education to twice-exceptional (2E) students and protecting their rights. After a deep

investigation of 2E characteristics, I reviewed empirical research about issues and practices with

2E students. After identifying the main characteristics and needs of 2E students, I researched the

other things that affect efforts at educating these students and ensuring their long-term well-

being. Based on a comprehensive literature review, I created a framework for understanding

twice-exceptionality that views 2E students as part of a system of interacting people and

environmental factors. Last, I concluded the paper with the implications of current research and

future directions for researchers and practitioners.

For example, I have a much better understanding of 2E students and how the complexity

of this issue makes it hard to define them, identify them, and provide them with appropriate

services. The greatest challenge involved with serving 2E students is the masking issue, which
complicates identification processes. Another challenging issue is the behavioral characteristics

of twice-exceptionality overlap with the characteristics of established disabilities, such as ADHD

and Autism.

Since there is no specific theory that addresses this issue, I chose to track the theories that

are related to the two sides of twice-exceptionality (giftedness and disabilities) and how these

were created a foundation for understanding the 2E issue. From recent research in this field, I

came up with a theoretical framework that illustrates the main influential elements involved in

twice-exceptionality, including the masking issue and how it affects elements of the support

system (identification, enrichment, simultaneous academic and socioemotional support).

Based on my review of more than 350 research articles, practitioner’s articles, meta-

analyses, books, dissertations, theses, and newsletter publications, I have become aware of the

most helpful and successful ways to improve communication with 2E students, reduce

challenging behaviors, and support their socioemotional growth and well-being. After deep

consideration of the body of research, I feel strongly that the MTSS and RtI approaches to

supporting 2E students are the most promising avenues for assisting and encouraging these

individuals. These systems provide appropriate means for identifying 2E students and providing

them with the individualized services that they need.

One of the most important benefits of completing this paper was practice in refining my

research and writing skills. For example, I found that starting with a general topic resulted in

finding a tremendous amount of information, which I then refined, eliminating those that weren’t

relevant. After that, it was necessary to gather additional articles that were more closely related

to my topic or its surrounding issues. I also found that it was more helpful to develop an in-depth

outline after I had gathered many studies and organized them according to a specific logical
sequence. Using these steps then eased my writing, as I had a better idea of what to say next, and

an idea of where I was going and my endpoint. I also learned that this outline and my writing

needed to be revised as well as edited, and both these steps I believe improved my final output.

Actually, I have come to enjoy this entire process more, and I think one reason is that I know I

have developed better skills and have a much better idea about how to go about the process of

researching a topic. This experience will help me in writing my dissertation soon.

I would like to express my thanks to all the people who have helped me throughout this

process, particularly my advisor Dr. Jenny Ritchotte. Dr. Ritchotte was very helpful in providing

me with helpful resources, and she was very patient with me in developing my writing, spending

ample time to review my work and provide me with valuable feedback. I feel sure that without

this assistance, I would not have been able to accomplish this project to the degree that I did. I

think that this shows just how important mentoring is, as well as teaching and research, for

professors, and I hope to include mentoring in my own growing bank of skills and strategies as I

look forward to returning to my home country and carrying out my responsibilities as a

university professor.