Parallel Session Proceedings »
4.7.7 Inclusive Education for Twice-Exceptional Gifted Students: Myths and Facts About the Frustration of Talent
Professionals in education have a strong need for indications how to meet the needs of twice-exceptional students. Twice-exceptional students are generally defined as those students who have high abilities plus learning- developmental and/or behavioral disorders. We analyzed scientific studies concerning this group of students and concluded that it is hard to identify them and that an individual approach is essential for identification. A lack of empirical data was already mentioned twenty years ago and our study shows that there is still an international lack of empirical based knowledge about effective identification of twice-exceptional students as well as on effective psycho-educational approaches toward these students. In spite of this, we found that publications for educational practice in the Netherlands publish firm statements about the needs of these students that professionals in the field consider as valid. The risk of these non-scientifically based so-called ‘facts’ is that twice exceptional students do not get the attention and care that they need.