Examining Secondary School Teachers’ Perceptions of Students with Twice-Exceptionality (2e) in Sabah, Malaysia: A Quantitative Study

Abstract

Students who are twice-exceptional (2e) are those identified as gifted (possessing high intellectual or creative potential), while simultaneously exhibiting one or more disabilities, such as attention deficit disorder, autism, or dyslexia. This dual nature often leads to masking, whereby the talent conceals the disability, or vice versa, making the identification and support of 2e a significant challenge. The purpose of this study was to examine secondary school teachers’ perceptions of 2e in Sabah, Malaysia. Respondents were required to fill out a 2e checklist on Google Forms and their responses were subsequently analyzed using SPSS 29.0. First, ANOVA revealed non-significant differences in perceived 2e by way of age, gender, and job experience. Second, Wilcoxon signed rank test revealed that (1) three of the general characteristics items were significant at p < .05, (2) two of the autism items were significant at p < .05, (3) seven of the anxiety and depression items were significant at p < .001, (4) two of the visual processing items were significant at p < .001, (5) three of the attention deficit disorder items were significant at p < .05, (6) four of the sensory processing items were significant at p < .05, (7) three of the attention deficit items were significant at p < .05, and (8) three of the dyslexia items were significant at p <. 001. In general, current findings indicate the presence of students with 2e at Sabah’s secondary schools although the exact number is not known. Lastly, in light of the findings, some recommendations were made on ways to meet the needs of students with 2e in Sabah, Malaysia.