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 61 - 70 of 105 Records
Mr. IEP
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- Creator: Giangreco, Michael F., 1956-.
- Date Created: 1999
- Description: The cartoon shows a coffee maker and instructions how to make an IEP with it. The cartoon says "Introducing…Mr. IEP 1. Insert student needs packet (shows putting coffee filter into the coffee maker) 2. Pour in 8 cups of possible IEP goals (shows water pouring into the back of the coffee maker) 3. Turn On Mr. IEP (shows where to turn on the coffee maker) Enjoy perfect IEPs every time!" The tag line reads "Special educators invent misguided automated approaches."
- Parent Collections: Absurdities and Realities of Special Education, Flying by the Seat of Your Pants
Recycling
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- Creator: Giangreco, Michael F., 1956-.
- Date Created: 1999
- Description: The cartoon shows two educators talking in front of a filing cabinet. The woman says "Tom's IEP is due soon. What should we do?" The man responds "No sweat. I've saved every IEP I've ever written over the past 15 years. Pick one and we'll go from there." The tag line reads, "Recycling Gone Bad."
- Parent Collections: Absurdities and Realities of Special Education, Flying by the Seat of Your Pants
Oops!
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- Creator: Giangreco, Michael F., 1956-.
- Date Created: 1999
- Description: The cartoon shows two men on a sidewalk one in a wheelchair and one behind the wheelchair holding the handles no longer attached to the back of the wheelchair. As the wheelchair speeds away the man in the chair has his hands up in the air and a frightened look on his face. The man behind the wheelchair has a huge eyes and says "Oops!" The tag line reads "Harold regrets not attending the in-service on wheelchair safety."
- Parent Collections: Absurdities and Realities of Special Education, Flying by the Seat of Your Pants
General Ed
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- Creator: Giangreco, Michael F., 1956-.
- Date Created: 1999
- Description: The cartoon shows a General named Ed standing in front of an American flag saluting. The tag line reads, "Few people know that before he was 'General Ed' he was 'Special Ed.'"
- Parent Collections: Absurdities and Realities of Special Education, Flying by the Seat of Your Pants
Poultry Puns
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- Creator: Giangreco, Michael F., 1956-.
- Date Created: 1999
- Description: The cartoon shows a teacher in front of a class full of students. The students all have their hands up and they are all saying, "I'm done!" the teacher responds with, "Turkeys are 'done' people are 'finished!' Based on you work, I should give you all 'Goose eggs!' But since I'm 'Mr. Eggstra-nice-guy,' I'll let you do it over!" the tag line reads, "What happens when teachers become obsessed with poultry puns."
- Parent Collections: Absurdities and Realities of Special Education, Flying by the Seat of Your Pants
Dick, Jane and Spot
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- Creator: Giangreco, Michael F., 1956-.
- Date Created: 1999
- Description: The cartoon has two people in the panel. The man on the right side of the panel is saying, "We need to avoid our mistakes of the past and teach kids the 'Classics.'" The person in the right side of the panel says, "Right! I still fondly remember 'See Dick. See Jane. See Spot. Run Spot Run!'" The tag line reads "Literature in literacy an entire generation grew up thinking Dick, Jane, and Spot were significant literary characters."
- Parent Collections: Absurdities and Realities of Special Education, Flying by the Seat of Your Pants
Appropriate Label
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- Creator: Giangreco, Michael F., 1956-.
- Date Created: 1999
- Description: The cartoon shows a woman talking to a man in a wheelchair. The woman says "So, how do you prefer to be called? Handicapped? Disabled? Or Physically-Challenged?" the man responds "Joe would be fine." the tag line reads "The most appropriate label is usually the one someone's parents have given them."
- Parent Collections: Absurdities and Realities of Special Education, Flying by the Seat of Your Pants
Airlifting
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- Creator: Giangreco, Michael F., 1956-.
- Date Created: 1999
- Description: The cartoon shows a helicopter hovering over a school building trying to lower a square box with the words "Special Class Approaches" into a round hole on the roof with the words "Regular Class" written around the edge of the hole. The tag line reads "Attempts at airlifting certain special approaches into regular class are unsuccessful, they just don't fit."
- Parent Collections: Absurdities and Realities of Special Education, Flying by the Seat of Your Pants
Fun Meeting
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- Creator: Giangreco, Michael F., 1956-.
- Date Created: 1999
- Description: The cartoon shows 5 men and women sitting in a hot tub. Mr. Moody says "this is the best meeting we've ever had!" The tag line reads "Team members find fun ways to facilitate their meetings!"
- Parent Collections: Absurdities and Realities of Special Education, Flying by the Seat of Your Pants
Slim Plan
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- Creator: Giangreco, Michael F., 1956-.
- Date Created: 1999
- Description: The cartoon shows three panels. In the first panel is a woman happy and smiling. The caption at the top of the panel reads "I lost inches and pounds off my IEPs using slim plan. You can too." The lower left panel shows "Before" the same woman is holding a huge pile of papers in the panel it reads, "My IEPs were bloated, thick, and weak. I had unwanted inches and unsightly goals and objectives." The panel on the right says "After" and shows the happy woman again and reads "Now my IEPs are slim, lean and strong. I feel better and I have more energy." the tag line reads "Helen helps herself have healthier habits."
- Parent Collections: Absurdities and Realities of Special Education, Flying by the Seat of Your Pants