Lsa Senior Paper
Lsa Senior Paper
Lsa Senior Paper
Caroline G. Rice
Abstract
The purpose of this paper was to bring more awareness to the problems facing twice-
exceptional students in the school systems. Students who are twice-exceptional are going
through a tremendous amount of stress in their lives and it is imperative that the school works as
hard as it can to ensure that these students receive the help that they need. After an overview of
Early identification is crucial for a student to develop a healthy system for their education and
should be a priority for both students and teachers. The legislation for twice-exceptionalism is
very clear and is found in two different federal laws, the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Two documents that help twice-exceptional
students, 504 forms and IEP’s, are analyzed in relation to legislation. The importance of self-
advocacy among twice-exceptional students is mentioned, along with the role that parents play in
this process. Finally, the author tentatively puts forward a solution to the twice-exceptional
dilemma. The only way for twice-exceptional students to have an improved situation in schools
is for the teachers and schools themselves to take a personal interest in the well-being of
students.
TWICE-EXCEPTIONAL 3
Twice-Exceptionalism: An Overview
We live in an ever changing world, filled with individuals who are trying to leave
this Earth a little better than when they found it. What happens when some of these individuals
are hampered, or weighed down by something beyond their control? Do the people who care
about them the most stand by and allow these amazingly unique people to struggle on their own,
or do they intervene and offer them help? Twice-exceptional students are being neglected by the
educational system that has been put in place to prepare them for the rest of their lives. Instead of
being helped, many of them are being hindered, their limitless potential suppressed by the very
Twice-exceptional students are both gifted and learning disabled, often showing higher
than average learning potential in some areas paired with lower than average learning potential in
other areas. There are several different kinds of twice-exceptionality in which students can be
gifted with physical or sensory disabilities, emotional and/or behavioral disorders, ADD/ADHD,
or learning disorders. It is also possible for students to have a combination of two or more
disabilities, such as having ADHD and a learning disability. Helen Keller was a very gifted
individual but suffered from a sensory disability, and Louis Braille invented a written language
for the blind, as well as being a gifted musician and inventor. The author of this paper has a
combination of ADHD and a learning disability in mathematics, making it difficult for them to
process numbers.
average students if they are achieving averagely in school? The answer is very simple:
identifying students as twice-exceptional is difficult but not impossible. Often times a student’s
disability masks their giftedness, their giftedness masks their disability, or their disability and
TWICE-EXCEPTIONAL 4
giftedness balance each other out (Welsh, 2010). It is these situations that make it difficult to
identify twice-Exceptional students, but there are some signs that when combined can help to
real life situations in which a student is displaying the indicators of a twice-Exceptional student.
When Paul was in kindergarten, he was much more advanced than many of his peers, reading
three years above his grade level. However, as Paul went into early elementary school years, he
began struggling in school. While he had previously been performing at a level far surpassing
Even though Paul seemed to have an advanced understanding of the concepts that were
discussed in class, his writing and math performance were far below that of his peers. On top of
all this, his teachers began to report behavioral issues, and his parents were becoming very
concerned and were worried about their son. This is a situation where a student was displaying
behavioral problems as well (Trail, 2006). Paul understood the concepts that he was being tested
on, but was having a hard time communicating that he understood. Because he understands
concepts well beyond his grade, Paul was bored, and this boredom combined with the frustration
of not being able to communicate his understanding of the topics was resulting in him acting out
(King, 2005)
thereof, is the level of encouragement and acceptance they feel from the people around them
(Wang, 2015). No matter how old someone is, everyone is susceptible to the opinions of the
people around them. Because of this, it is very important that students are surrounded by an
TWICE-EXCEPTIONAL 5
encouraging and accepting atmosphere both at school and at home (Baldwin, 2015). Being able
to talk about this part of their lives with both parents and friends is what will help them through
difficult times in their life. However, the most important people in a student’s life during this
difficult and confusing time are teachers. Teachers have a position of profound authority in a
student’s life, and their attitude towards the student can have a positive or negative impact on
their mental and emotional state. Because of this, it is crucial that teachers show the students
compassion and encouragement, reassuring them that they aren’t alone during this time of
Early Identification
One of the biggest problems with twice-exceptional students is that many of them are not
identified at an early enough age. Many students are not identified until late middle school or
high school years, which can make it more difficult for them to adjust to their new condition
(Douglass, 2008). If students were identified at an earlier age, it would be a much easier
transition for them then if they were trying to adjust to this during their junior or senior year of
high school. When twice-exceptional students are not identified until high school years when the
workload has increased exponentially, it is then that we see these students begin to struggle the
most. While these students are younger, such as elementary school, they may appear to be
average students, but are usually performing well below their academic potential. In general,
development of a student (Dole, 2000). The social and emotional consequences of not having
this underperformance recognized can have a seriously negative impact on every aspect of a
student’s life, not being simply limited to academia (Dole, 2000). Recognizing the unique
personalities and characteristics that these students have may help teachers and other educators
TWICE-EXCEPTIONAL 6
to identify students earlier on in their lives and provide the necessary help that these students
Twice-exceptional students often learn strategies that help them compensate in their areas
of difficulty, so their level of giftedness masks their disability. Even so, their disability still
suppresses their full potential, which is reflected in grades and test scores (Rizza, 2003). It is
largely because of this that identifying students at a younger age is so difficult. Most twice-
exceptional students on average usually appear to be two to three years behind other students
their age in both social and emotional development. Additionally, since many characteristics of
twice-exceptional students are similar to those of typical students who only have a disability and
are not gifted, it is a serious possibility that they could be misdiagnosed and given
accommodations and other assistance that they do not need (Webb, 2005).
Finally, since many requests for gifted testing originates with the student’s teacher, the
less than desirable characteristics of twice-exceptional students such as the tendency to question
authority and constant distraction, combine with educational difficulties, enlarge the possibility
of a misdiagnosis and may lead to a question of whether the student would benefit from some
kind of medication. This plethora of issues makes it extremely important that both teachers and
parents work together to observe where, when, and how these behaviors occur in order to help
diagnose twice-exceptional students before they are thrown headfirst into a higher level
Legislation
When looking at legislation for twice-exceptional students there are two main federal
laws to look at that are relevant to students specifically, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of
1973, and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). IDEA is the primary federal
TWICE-EXCEPTIONAL 7
law that governs Individualized Educational Programs (IEPs) and the special education process
in school systems. IDEA guarantees children with disabilities a “free, appropriate public
education (FAPE) in the least restrictive environment” (Latham, 2015).. Both of these federal
laws substantially improved educational conditions for students with disabilities, but there are
cases where a federal law just doesn’t seem to be enough (Doug C. v. State of Hawaii
Department of Education).
Spencer was an 18 year old living in the educational district of Maui in the Hawaiian
Islands during 2013. He was diagnosed when he was two as being autistic, and therefore
qualified for an Individualized Education Program (IEP) that would help him in school. Spencer
has been provided with special accomodations since fifth grade and was scheduled for an annual
meeting to re-evaluate his IEP. After scheduling the meeting, Spencer’s parent informed the
committee handling Spencer’s IEP that he was sick and unable to make the meeting. He spoke
with various teachers on the committee on no less than 13 occasions over the next few days
asking for them to reschedule so he could come to the meeting. Despite this, the teachers decided
to have the meeting without Spencer’s parent present and ended up moving Spencer from his
private school to a program at the local public school (Doug C. v. State of Hawaii Department of
Education).
The central question for this specific case was if the efforts by the school to include
Spencer’s parent in the committee meeting fulfilled the requirements for a free appropriate
public education (FAPE) under IDEA. In order to determine whether the school provided
Spencer with a FAPE as defined under IDEA, a two part investigation must be held. First, it must
be determined whether or not the school followed the procedures for this kind of situation that
are stated in IDEA. Second, the court must determine if the IEP is written so that it provides
TWICE-EXCEPTIONAL 8
Spencer with the educational benefits that he needs for his specific disability. It is also important
to recognize that “harmless procedural errors do not constitute a denial of FAPE” (Doug C. v.
The Supreme Court has placed a large emphasis on the importance of parents and
guardians being present at IEP meetings, their statement from this case reflected that
sentiment: [W]e think that the importance Congress attached to these procedural
placed every bit as much emphasis upon compliance with procedures giving parents
process as it did upon the measurement of the resulting IEP against a substantive
standard. We think that the congressional emphasis upon full participation of concerned
conviction that adequate compliance with the procedures prescribed would in most
cases assure much if not all of what Congress wished in the way of substantive content
Even the Supreme Court recognizes the importance of having a parent present at an IEP
meeting, and continued to comment on the issue by saying that the foundation of IDEA is
the cooperative relationship that is established between schools and parents (Doug C. v.
The two most important things to know about federal laws regarding twice-exceptional
students are 504 forms and IEP’s. Section 504 under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 grants
TWICE-EXCEPTIONAL 9
students what is known as a 504 form. This form is “a blueprint for how the school will provide
supports and remove barriers for a student with a disability, so the student has equal access to the
general education curriculum” (Understood, 2017). It is important to understand that 504 forms
and IEP’s are not the same thing. They are both established by different federal laws and work to
help different kinds of students in school systems. When a student has been diagnosed with a
learning disability, that doesn’t necessarily require them to have an individualized education
program (IEP). They can be set up with a 504 plan which allows students with disabilities to
learn alongside their peers, but removes any academic roadblocks that the student might be
facing.
504 plans often include accommodations. These can include changes to the
Accommodations don’t change what kids learn, just how they learn it. The goal is
specific challenges. A child with ADHD who’s easily distracted might get seating
at the front of the class. A child with dyslexia might be allowed to use text-to-
speech technology. And a student with slow processing speed might get extended
time on tests. Some students may be able to get related services under a 504 plan.
These could include occupational therapy or a study skills class that focuses on
organization. Some students might also get supports for social and emotional
issues or for behavior challenges through a 504 plan. While it’s rare, 504 plans
504 plans are crucial to the academic development of a student and are necessary for
them to succeed when being judged on the same level as their peers.
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires that public
schools create an IEP for every student who is receiving special education services in
their education. An IEP is designed to aid each student with their individual disability in
order to give them the best possible education. It includes specific education goals and
“special education supports and services that the school will provide to help your child
reach goals” (Stanberry, 2017). An IEP is also a legally binding document, which means
that any promises the school makes in the IEP must be upheld without exception.
accommodations will best address the individual student’s needs while they are in
school. The student’s present level of educational performance (PLOP) is the first
academic abilities, skills, weaknesses and strengths. The PLOP is the part of the IEP that
explains how the student’s disabilities affect their ability to conform to the standardized
education that their peers are receiving. The PLOP also includes details on how the
student handles specific academic subjects and other social elements of school such as
data such as the scores from tests. It is important that every aspect of the PLOP is redone
each year to ensure the best accuracy for the student’s needs. Students acquire new skills
TWICE-EXCEPTIONAL 11
over time and as these new skills are developed both the IEP and PLOP need to reflect
these changes in order to give the student the best education possible (Stanberry, 2017).
Self-Advocacy
The most important skill that twice-exceptional students can learn is how to advocate for
themselves and know what they need from the school system in regards to accomodations. When
students leave high school, they won’t have their parents there to help them, so they need to learn
how their disability limits them and how they can use their accommodations to compensate for
those differences. One of the biggest challenges a student is going to face is having to go into the
world alone, but that doesn’t mean they have to go into the world unprepared. Providing students
with the tools and resources they need for life is the sole purpose of the educational system, so
why should the situation be any different for twice-exceptional students? For some students,
acclimating to a new way of doing things can be difficult, especially when they are in high
school. They have been doing things a certain way for so long that the idea of changing that
routine is frightening and off putting. High school is the time when students are discovering who
they are and beginning to prepare for the future they one day hope to have.
enough to drive most teens to a nervous breakdown. When adding in having to adjust to new
testing options and other changes brought on by being twice-exceptional, most people just can’t
cope (King, 2005). This isn’t even taking into account that many twice-exceptional students have
some form of ADD or ADHD, which just means that they have an even harder time
Self-advocating is extremely difficult for many students. They may feel awkward, and
sometimes even guilty about asking for help or for accommodations in their classes. This is
TWICE-EXCEPTIONAL 12
especially true if a student is worried about how their peers will react to these accommodations.
A child who develops the skills necessary to advocate for themselves at an early age will find it
much easier to advocate for themselves later in life, like when they go to college. Parents cannot
accompany students to college to help them with their difficulties. They can’t hold their child’s
hand and walk them through a process that’s going to be necessary for the rest of their lives (Lee,
2017).
Learning this skill may not seem important to some people now, but in the long run it
makes all the difference in the world. Instead of being dependent on their parents for support, the
student can grasp a new level of independence that will benefit them for the rest of their lives. Of
course, the benefits of self-advocacy extend far beyond just their academic career. A student who
can advocate for themselves is a student who can effectively communicate in what would
otherwise be uncomfortable social situations. For example, it becomes much easier to explain to
friends or classmates why the student has academic accommodations (Douglas, 2004).
Probably one of the most important part of self-advocacy is the development of the
student’s self advocacy skills outside of school (Lee, 2017). Each student has a different
personality, and with these different personalities comes different needs. Some students don’t
like to talk in front of other people, some don’t know how to speak up for what they need, while
still others just need more time to get comfortable with new and different situations.
Understanding that students have different needs is imperative to creating an environment that is
opportunities to speak for themselves. Involving them in family decisions such as where to go for
family vacation is just a small way to help them learn to speak for themselves. Not only will this
TWICE-EXCEPTIONAL 13
teach them how to speak up for what they want, but it will also let them know that other people
value their input. Helping their children out of school is great, but helping them with school can
really make a difference. Parents should communicate with the teachers to let them know what
their child is going through. Teachers have so much to do during school, and it makes it much
easier for them if the parents of a student come to them and inform them if their student is having
problems. It is this communication between the school system and the individual families that
will help twice-exceptional students get the help and recognition that they need.
It Takes a Village
Where twice-exceptional students are concerned, there are three things that both the
school and the parents can do to help these children reach their full potential (Rosen, 2015).
Firstly, parents need to have clear and constant communication with both the school and the
individual teachers of their child. Under federal law, if a parent suspects that their child might
have some form of learning disability, then the school is required to provide testing for that
student. If the child is determined to be twice-exceptional ,then the parent needs to communicate
with the teachers and other staff to determine what steps can be taken to help their child.
The second thing is for parents to find a way to connect their child with other twice-
exceptional students in their area. It’s often difficult for these students to find someone with
whom they can relate, and putting them in touch with other twice-exceptional students will help
them to feel less isolated (Rosen, 2015). Connecting with other twice-exceptional families is also
a way for parents who are unfamiliar with twice-exceptionalism to get advice on 504 forms and
IEP’s from other parents who have already gone through the process.
The last thing parents can do is to reassure their children that they’re not alone during this
stressful time in their lives. Helping them understand what their gifts and weaknesses are is
TWICE-EXCEPTIONAL 14
crucial to their academic development in high school. It’s important to reassure then that their
children can get some form of help in the areas where they struggle (Rosen, 2015). It is also
important that parents also remember that when their child gets frustrated they don’t always
attempt to interfere, part of helping their child is to make sure that they can handle stress on their
own.
By learning how to cooperate and communicate with their child’s school, parents can
have an enormous impact on their child’s life. Learning more about how to be an effective
advocate will set an example for their child and teach them how to grow as a student. With the
support and encouragement of both parents and teachers, twice-exceptional students can thrive in
References
TWICE-EXCEPTIONAL 15
Baldwin, L., Omdal, S., & Pereles, D. (2015). Beyond Stereotypes. Retrieved December
Barber, C., & Mueller, C. T. (2011). Social and Self-Perceptions of Adolescents Identified
120. doi:10.1080/02783193.2011.554158
Birr, J. A. (2011). Twice exceptional: Children with exceptional abilities and learning
disabilities: Are teachers prepared to effectively work with this twice exceptional
subgroup of students?
Coleman, M. R., & Gallagher, S. (2015). Meeting the Needs of Students With 2e. Gifted
Coleman, M. R., Harradine, C., & King, E. W. (2005). Meeting the Needs of Students who
doi:10.1177/004005990503800101
Courtney, A. (2017, November 3). Twice-Exceptional Students in the School System [E-
mail interview].
Dole, S. (2000). The implications of the risk and resilience literature for gifted students
Doug C. v. State of Hawaii Department of Education (Court of Appeals 9th Circuit June
13, 2013).
Douglas, D. (2004). Advocate for Gifted Children. Retrieved December 18, 2017, from
https://www.nagc.org/get-involved/advocate-gifted-children
TWICE-EXCEPTIONAL 16
Douglass, M. J., & Tiesso, C. (2008). Twice Exceptional: Gifted Students with Learning
Enloe, A. B. (2004). Twice exceptional: Identifying and serving the gifted ADHD child.
Foley-Nicpon, M., Assouline, S. G., & Fosenburg, S. (2015). The Relationship Between
doi:10.1177/1932202x15603364
doi:10.1177/0016986207311156
Kaufman, S. B. (2018). Twice exceptional: Supporting and educating bright and creative
doi:10.1177/004005990503800103
rights/basics-about-childs-rights/at-a-glance-free-and-appropriate-public-education
Lee, A. (2014). Understood | For Learning and Attention Issues. Retrieved December 19,
Lee, A. M. (2017). The Importance of Self-Advocacy for Kids With Learning and
feelings/empowering-your-child/self-advocacy/the-importance-of-self-advocacy
Morin, A. (2017). 10 Ways to Help Shy Children Self-Advocate. Retrieved December 19,
child/self-advocacy/10-ways-to-help-shy-children-self-advocate
Roberts, J., Pereia, N., & Knots, D. (2015). State Law and Policy Related to Twice-
http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1076217515597276
Rosen, P. (2014). Gifted Children's Challenges with Learning and Attention Issues.
Rosen, P. (2017). Gifted Children's Challenges With Learning and Attention Issues.
feelings/empowering-your-child/building-on-strengths/gifted-childrens-challenges-
with-learning-and-attention-issues
http://www.apa.org/
Stanberry, K. (2017). Understood | For Learning and Attention Issues. Retrieved December
Trail, B. (2006, March 1). Search Database. Retrieved December 12, 2017, from
http://www.davidsongifted.org/Search-Database/entry/A10462
Understood | For Learning and Attention Issues. (2017). Retrieved December 19, 2017,
from https://www.understood.org/en
Wang, C. W., & Neihart, M. (2015). How Do Supports From Parents, Teachers, and Peers
Welsh, C. (2010). A Learning Paradox: Students Who are Gifted and Learning Disabled.