Dr. Margarita Bianco
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Gifted Education ~ Underrepresented Gifted Learners

Dr. Bianco's research is focused on exploring the effects of bias and deficit thinking on educational practices for students with exceptional learning needs (e.g., students with disability labels) and culturally diverse students. Her dissertation focused on the effects of disability labels on teachers' referrals for gifted programs. This research was subsequently published in Learning Disabilities Quarterly (see Bianco, 2005) and won the 2004 Council for Learning Disabilities Outstanding Researcher Award.
Ultimately, a second tier of inquiry focuses on ways to deconstruct deficit discourse in educational settings within the context of teacher preparation and professional development. 
Because of Dr. Bianco's expertise in this area, she was invited to co-develop the Colorado Department of Education's Twice Exceptional Training for teachers and school leaders around Colorado and co-author the Twice-Exceptional Students: Gifted Students with Disabilities- An Introductory Resource Book 

Dr. Bianco has conducted professional development workshops for teachers around the country and has consulted with schools interested in:
  • Identification and Service Models for Twice Exceptional Learners
  • Meeting the Needs of Gifted English Language Learners
  • Strength-Based Response to Intervention (RTI) Model for  Identifying and Serving Underrepresented Gifted Learners including Twice Exceptional, English Language Learners, and Culturally/ Racially Diverse Students

Selected Publications  / Gifted Learners

Bianco, M. & Harris, B. (2014). Strength-based RTI: Developing gifted potential in Spanish speaking English language learners. Gifted Child Today, v37 n3 p169-176.

Crepeau-Hobson, F., & Bianco, M. (2012).  Response to intervention: Promises and pitfalls for gifted students with learning disabilities. Intervention in School and Clinic, 48(3), 142-151. 

Bianco, M., Harris, Bryn, Garrison-Wade, D., & Leech, N. (2011). Gifted girls: Gender bias in gifted referrals. Roeper Review, 33 (1) 170.
Crepeau-Hobson, F., & Bianco, M. (2010). Identification of gifted students with learning disabilities in a response to intervention era. Psychology in the Schools.  48(2),102-109. 

Bianco, M. (2010). Strength-based RTI: Conceptualizing a multi-tiered system for developing gifted potential. Theory Into Practice, 49(4):323–330.

Bianco, M., & Leech, N. (2010). Twice-exceptional learners: Effects of teacher preparation and disability labels on gifted referrals. Teacher Education and Special Education 33(4), 319-334.

Bianco, M., Carothers, D.E., & Smiley, L.R. (2009). Gifted students with Asperger Syndrome: Strategies for strength-based programming. Intervention in School and Clinic, 44(4), 206-215.

Bianco, M. (2005). The effects of disability labels on special education and general education teachers' referrals for gifted programs. Learning Disability Quarterly, 28(4), 285-293.

Wilson, C.L., & Bianco, M. (2007). Special education and the linguistically diverse student. In H. Zainuddin, N., Yahya., C.A., Morales-Jones, & E.N., Ariza, Fundamentals of teaching English to speakers of other languages in K-12 mainstream classrooms (2nd Ed., pp.304-313). Dubuque, IA: Kendall / Hunt.

Klingner, J., & Bianco, M. (2006). What is special about special education for culturally and linguistically diverse students with disabilities? In B. Cook & B. Schirmer (Eds.), What is special about special education? (p.37-53). Austin, TX: PRO-ED.

Wilson, C.L., & Bianco-Cornish, M. (2002). Special education and the linguistically diverse student. In Zainuddin, H., Yahya, N., Morales-Jones, C.A., & Ariza, E.N., Fundamentals of teaching English to speakers of other languages in K-12 mainstream classrooms (p.426-441). Dubuque, IA: Kendall / Hunt.

Contributing Author, Identifying and Serving Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Gifted Students Position Paper: National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC) 2012.


Contributing Author, (2006), Twice-exceptional students: An introductory resource book. Colorado Department of Education.

Klingner, J.K., & Bianco, M. (2008). Other students with other special learning needs. In D. P. Bryant, D.D. Smith, & B.R. Bryant, Teaching students with special needs in inclusive classrooms (p. 131-163). Boston: Allyn & Bacon.  



Consider donating to the Pathways2Teaching Scholarship fund which was created to provide scholarships to participants in the Pathways2Teaching program to study in the School of Education and Human Development at the University of Colorado Denver.
Pathways2Teaching Scholarship Fund
© Margarita Bianco 2011