Absurdities and Realities of Special Education
Absurdities and Realities of Special Education: The University of Vermont Center for Digital Initiatives Collection is a complete set of all of the cartoons created by Michael Giangreco with the assistance of the artist Kevin Ruelle. This includes a total of 335 cartoons from four previously published books and searchable CD that went "out of print" in 2019 and a few newer cartoons. Michael Giangreco created the original ideas, text, and sketches for each cartoon and Kevin Ruelle redrew the sketches.
The cartoons in the first three books all were originally in black and white. That was a conscious decision, both for aesthetic and practical reasons. The cartoons were designed to be easily copied on to overhead transparencies for display in classes, workshops, and other learning environments. A group called Alliance for Inclusive Education (ALLFIE) requested permission to use one of the cartoons on the cover of their magazine and subsequently colorized it. Prompted by Giangreco’s colleagues associated with ALLFIE, Giangreco and Ruelle began to colorize the rest of the images. In this complete digital collection, we have included a total of 335 different digital images; including the 315 different cartoons from the four earlier books, 12 cartoons that were on the CD only, and eight that were not included in any of the previously published books or CD.
Cartoons from the early books have found their way on to the pages of many newsletters disseminated by schools, parent groups, disability advocacy organizations, and professional associations. They have appeared in books, manuals, and journals; a few were even published in a law journal. The cartoons have been used extensively as projected slides or within learning activities in college classes, at conferences, in workshops, and at other meetings. Parents have framed cartoons that closely reflected their own experiences and hung them in their homes or offices. Other parents have used them in meetings with professionals to help get their points across. They have been given as gifts to people who "get it" and handed out as door prizes. The Vermont Coalition for Disability Rights used them as part of "Disability Awareness Day" at the Vermont legislature. The cartoons can be used in innumerable creative ways.
Showing 21 - 30 of 111 Records
Doing it Wrong Doesn't Make it Wrong
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- Creator: Giangreco, Michael F., 1956-.
- Date Created: 1998
- Description: This cartoon shows two school colleagues conversing. The one seated behind the desk says, "We placed Jason in a regular class part of the time, we assigned a full-time aide, and we even did therapy in the back of the classroom. He still can't do the same work as the other kids... Inclusion isn't right for everyone." His colleague shakes his head in disbelief and replies, "You STILL don't get it!" The tag line under the cartoon reads, "Inclusive Education: Doing it wrong doesn't make it wrong." The note on the side indicates, "Inspired by Michael Hock."
- Parent Collections: Absurdities and Realities of Special Education, Ants in His Pants
IEP that "Loooook Maaaaarvelous"
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- Creator: Giangreco, Michael F., 1956-.
- Date Created: 1998
- Description: This cartoon shows a special educator who says, "Mrs. Small said you wanted to see me." as she is seated across the desk from an administrator. In a imitation of Billy Crystal's Fernando Lamas parody the administrator says, "I've been reviewing your IEPs. They look maaaarvelous. And as you know, it's better that they look good than be good." The tag line under the cartoon reads, "Special Education Coordinator, Mr. Crossway, has watched too many old re-runs of Saturday Night Live."
- Parent Collections: Absurdities and Realities of Special Education, Ants in His Pants
Geography Lesson
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- Creator: Giangreco, Michael F., 1956-.
- Date Created: 1998
- Description: This cartoon shows two educators seated side by side looking at a computer monitor together that is displaying a map of the USA. One person says, "But I thought each school district was required to make individual decisions for students with disabilities -- considering regular class placement in the neighborhood school as the first option." The second person replies, "Well, on paper -- but really it depends on where you live. Next we'll look at city and county maps." The tag line under the cartoon reads, "Harold gets to use new mapping software to give Ellen a geography lesson in inclusive education."
- Parent Collections: Absurdities and Realities of Special Education, Ants in His Pants
Supplies
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- Creator: Giangreco, Michael F., 1956-.
- Date Created: 1998
- Description: This cartoon has two panels stacked vertically. In the top panel a smiling teacher greets a student who is wearing a backpack and says, "Hi Jimmy, welcome to the first day of school. I'm glad you brought your backpack with your supplies." In the second panel the same teacher now with a worried expression on her face greets a student with a disability and her mother who is pulling a long wagon filled high with all kinds of special equipment. The teacher says, "Hi Janie, Welcome to the first day of school. I see you've brought your supplies." Her mother says, "We'll bring the rest tomorrow." The tag line for the cartoon reads, "Mrs. Fine wonders if it is too late to request a larger classroom."
- Parent Collections: Absurdities and Realities of Special Education, Ants in His Pants
Is Bigger Better?
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- Creator: Giangreco, Michael F., 1956-.
- Date Created: 1998
- Description: This cartoon shows two colleagues talking to each other. One says, "Do you really expect to implement that 50 page IEP?" The other person, who is hold a thick document and who looks excited says in response, "No, but doesn't it look great!" The tag line under the cartoon reads, "Is Bigger Better?"
- Parent Collections: Absurdities and Realities of Special Education, Ants in His Pants
Cement Shoe Therapy
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- Creator: Giangreco, Michael F., 1956-.
- Date Created: 1998
- Description: This cartoon shows a person's bare legs from just above the a pair of knobby knees to the feet. The person's shoes are cinder blocks. The tag line under the cartoon reads, "A former gangster turned therapist relies on an old skill in developing his experimental cement shoe therapy."
- Parent Collections: Absurdities and Realities of Special Education, Ants in His Pants
Mysteries of Friendship
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- Creator: Giangreco, Michael F., 1956-.
- Date Created: 1998
- Description: This cartoon shows two teachers talking to each other in the foreground. In the background are two students painting at an easel -- one is seated in a wheelchair and the other does not have a disability. One teacher says, "I don't get it. What does Keith see in Joey? He can't walk or talk, he needs help with everything, yet they're inseparable." The other teacher says, "Maybe part of being friends is liking a person for who they are -- not just what they can do." The tag line under the cartoon reads, "Mysteries of Friendship."
- Parent Collections: Absurdities and Realities of Special Education, Ants in His Pants
I thought Pat was a boy
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- Creator: Giangreco, Michael F., 1956-.
- Date Created: 1998
- Description: This cartoon has two panels stacked vertically. In the top panel a physical education teachers says to the class, "Boys, 50 crunches! Girls, 5 laps!! Let's go!" The second panel shows the girls running are led by a female paraprofessional pushing a student in his wheelchair. One of the girls says, "I thought Pat was a boy!?" and another girls says, "He is!!" The tag line under the cartoon reads, "The instructional assistant assigned to Pat experiences ongoing gender confusion."
- Parent Collections: Absurdities and Realities of Special Education, Ants in His Pants
Bill of Goods
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- Creator: Giangreco, Michael F., 1956-.
- Date Created: 1998
- Description: This cartoon shows a teacher in the doorway of her classroom looking perplexed. In the hallway speaking to her is a man holding a large poster which says, "1. General Education Teachers can't teach students with disabilities. 2. You only have to be a host. 3. Everybody else is an expert." There are other items listed that are not readable. The man says to the teacher, "Excuse me Ma'am, you were sold a bill of goods. I am sorry to have to inform you that it has been recalled." The tag line under the cartoon reads, "After being sold a bill of goods, Mrs. Martin is surprised to learn it's defective."
- Parent Collections: Absurdities and Realities of Special Education, Ants in His Pants
Island in the Mainstream
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- Creator: Giangreco, Michael F., 1956-.
- Date Created: 1998
- Description: This cartoon shows a class filled with students seated at desks in rows facing a teacher in the front of the room. In the back of the room, separated by water, a student with a disability seated in a wheelchair is alone on a small desert island with one palm tree, sitting a table across from a white-haired paraprofessional -- neither are facing the teacher. The tag line under the cartoon reads, "Island in the Mainstream. Mrs. Cooper and Mrs. Jones are still trying to figure out why Fred doesn't feel like part of the class." The note on the side indicates, "Inspired by Doug Biklen."
- Parent Collections: Absurdities and Realities of Special Education, Ants in His Pants