Students on the Margins: Giftedness, Twice-Exceptionality, Disability, and Neurodivergence

Dear Colleagues,

A substantial proportion of students continue to operate at the margins of education systems. This group includes students with disabilities, those with ADHD or autism (collectively referred to as neurodivergent learners), gifted students, and those who sit at the intersection of giftedness and disability or neurodivergence—commonly referred to as twice-exceptional learners.

Research consistently shows that such students can be marginalised and are often among the least likely to be accurately identified, adequately supported, or enabled to realise their full potential. This marginalisation is not uniform; it disproportionately affects students from low socio-economic communities, rural and remote areas, Indigenous backgrounds, and those from migrant and refugee families. Their uneven or inconsistent academic performance is often unexplained, leading mainstream educators—who are rarely trained to identify and support them—to misinterpret their abilities and potential.

The long-term consequences of this marginalisation are profound. Many students disengage from education, and their talents and strengths are lost not only to themselves but also to society. At a time when global challenges demand innovative thinkers and problem solvers from all sectors of the population, ensuring that these learners are recognised, valued, and supported is an urgent educational and social priority.

This Special Issue seeks to address these urgent concerns by bringing together research, theory, and practice focused on students who are gifted, twice-exceptional, and neurodivergent, as well as those with disabilities. Our aim is to advance understanding of how education systems, policies, and classrooms can better respond to the diverse learner profiles that exist across schools and communities.

The Special Issue welcomes contributions that foreground student voice, challenge prevailing myths, and highlight inclusive approaches to identification, pedagogy, and support. By uniting perspectives from gifted education, special education, psychology, and educational policy, the aim of this Issue is to generate both theoretical insight and practical pathways for change. Ultimately, we seek to transform the experiences of marginalised learners so that their talents may not be overlooked but nurtured—for their own futures and for the collective future we all share.

Submissions to this Special Issue may address, but are not limited to, the following themes:

• Inclusive identification and assessment of gifted, neurodivergent, and twice-exceptional learners.
• Pedagogical approaches that support diverse cognitive, social, and emotional profiles.
• Student voice and lived experience in understanding marginalisation and engagement.
• Teacher education and professional learning to enhance the identification and support of diverse learners.
• Policy frameworks and systemic barriers that influence inclusion and equity.
• Cultural, socio-economic, and geographic factors shaping access and opportunity for gifted and neurodivergent students.
• Innovative models of collaboration across gifted education, special education, and broader inclusion initiatives.

Dr. Geraldine Townend
Dr. Marie McGregor
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Education Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• twice-exceptional (2e) learners
• gifted education
• neurodiversity
• inclusive education
• educational equity
• curriculum
• student voice
• teacher professional learning
• marginalised learners
• educational policy