Parent Perceptions of Special Education and Gifted Education Services for Twice-Exceptional Students in Ireland

Twice-exceptional students, those who are both gifted and have an additional educational need, represent a complex and underserved population within education systems. While recognition of twice exceptionality has greatly increased in gifted education literature, little is known about the experiences of students and their families in Ireland, where no national policy or framework currently addresses their dual needs. This exploratory mixed-methods study aimed to examine the perspectives of 232 parents of twice-exceptional children who attended an enrichment summer programme for gifted students. Through an anonymous survey, the researchers investigated the frequency of specialised services provided for both giftedness and disabilities, as well as how satisfied parents were with these services. The findings indicated that, while two-thirds of students did receive special education support, the majority received no services focused on their giftedness. Parents expressed significantly higher dissatisfaction with gifted provisions than with special education, mentioning the lack of differentiation and access to advanced materials in class, as well as an emphasis on their child’s challenges, as opposed to their strengths. The study’s findings highlight substantial policy and practice gaps in Ireland’s current provision for twice-exceptional students and underscore the need for integrated support systems, teacher education, and inclusion of parent perspectives in educational planning.