ABSTRACT

Dual exceptionality (2E) is well known in the special educational needs (SEN) field, where it is termed ‘comorbidity’. Comorbidity often occurs in dyslexia when the dyslexic child also shows symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or Asperger Syndrome (AS). The incidence of comorbidity is in the region of 30 per cent – meaning that 30 per cent diagnosed with one condition have at least one of the others (Clements 1966; Tanguay 2002). In all three conditions, dyslexia, ADHD and AS, there is also a high frequency of co-occurrence of handwriting coordination difficulties, creating multiple exceptionality. In the gifted education field, 2E is a term used to describe those who are intellectually very able (gifted) or who have a talent (a special gift in a performance or skill area), and in addition to this have a special educational need. This is made more complex because children may not demonstrate their ‘gifts’ and the SEN may be hidden.