Participatory Virtual Learning Environment Design with Twice-Exceptional Students

Twice-exceptional (2e) students are categorized by giftedness, either in general or in a specific domain, and co-existing learning disabilities. They face a unique set of challenges in traditional educational settings. A suggested strategy to address challenges for this small and geographically disparate group is online learning. However, Virtual Learning Environments (VLEs) are infrequently designed for or with students with unusual learning profiles. Utilizing participatory design (PD) methodologies with three 2e young people, this dissertation explored (1) how 2e students conceptualize their twice-exceptionality; (2) how 2e students envision an ideal VLE; and (3) how using PD methodologies can give 2e students a platform resulting in actionable product design.The ultimate goal was to co-create a prototype of a VLE to the specifications of 2e participants. Supplementary, novel contributions were made in the form of a 2e student user persona co-created between 2e students and a 2e researcher, and a methodology for doing PD research with 2e students online.Through interviews and user persona design, 2e students expressed their conceptualizations of what it means to be 2e and shared their experiences in traditional and online classrooms. While participants generally viewed their twice-exceptionality positively, they confirmed previous research which details challenges identifying, supporting, and challenging 2e students and 2e students’ struggles with self-concept, asynchronous skill development, and social integration. 2e students’ desire for a 2e peer group was particularly noteworthy. Based on feature specification workshops and the co-created user persona, a VLE was prototyped by the researcher and evaluated by participants, who were excited about customizability, features for academic challenge and support, and integrated social spaces.This dissertation offers a distinct and detailed 2e user persona that designers and researchers can use in future projects, a prototype of a VLE built to 2e students’ specifications, and a discussion on 2e students’self-conceptualization, desire for 2e peer groups, and perspectives on online learning.