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 81 - 90 of 111 Records
Fish Bowl
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- Creator: Giangreco, Michael F., 1956-.
- Date Created: 1998
- Description: This cartoon shows a round fishbowl that includes a teacher and students inside represented as fish. The teacher says, "Now class, for our next activity…" Four people are outside the fish bowl intensely observing what is happening inside the fishbowl. The tag line under the cartoon says, "Sometimes having so many visitors makes Mrs. Grouper feel like she's in a fish bowl."
- Parent Collections: Absurdities and Realities of Special Education, Ants in His Pants
Inclusion Mishap #9
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- Creator: Giangreco, Michael F., 1956-.
- Date Created: 1998
- Description: This cartoon shows a teacher peering around a corner as she hides from a student with a disability she sees down the hallway. The tag line under the cartoon reads, "Inclusion Mishap #9: Due to a faulty intercom, Mrs. Snippet thought the principal said, You have a new student coming to your classroom -- he has disabilities. Do you best to elude him."
- Parent Collections: Absurdities and Realities of Special Education, Ants in His Pants
Parole Approach
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- Creator: Giangreco, Michael F., 1956-.
- Date Created: 1998
- Description: This cartoon shows two students with special educational needs depicted as prisoners, behind bars and wearing striped prison uniforms; one of the students is seated in a wheelchair. One student says to the other, "What are you in for?" and the student in the wheelchair says, "Cerebral Palsy. But they said with good behavior I could be out in 3 to 5." The tag line under the cartoon reads, "Parole Approach to School Inclusion." The note on the side indicates, "Inspired by Robert Holland."
- Parent Collections: Absurdities and Realities of Special Education, Ants in His Pants
Reptilian Responses
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- Creator: Giangreco, Michael F., 1956-.
- Date Created: 1998
- Description: A snake, lizzard, and toad are talking to each other. The snake says, "Let's attack it!". The lizzard says, "Let's eat it!". The toad says, "Let's run. Away from it!". The tag line under the cartoon reads, "Reptilian Responses to Diversity".
- Parent Collections: Absurdities and Realities of Special Education, Ants in His Pants
Devil's Advocate
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- Creator: Giangreco, Michael F., 1956-.
- Date Created: 1998
- Description: This cartoon shows four people seated at round table for a meeting; two are parents who have a child with a disability, the school principal, and the devil (shown as all in red, with horns, wearing a cape, and holding a pitchfork). The principal is sitting next to the devil with hand on his back while saying, "Mr. & Mrs. Grey, I'd like you to meet Lu." The tag line under the cartoon reads, "Principal Moody introduces the school district's new advocate to defend exclusion."
- Parent Collections: Absurdities and Realities of Special Education, Ants in His Pants
The Real World
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- Creator: Giangreco, Michael F., 1956-.
- Date Created: 1998
- Description: This cartoon has two panels stacked vertically. The upper panel shows the school principal saying, "Congratulations Larry! Again this year you have achieved all your IEP goals!" Larry says, "Thank You!" The lower panel shows Larry sitting across a desk from an employment specialist who says, "I'm sorry. You're not prepared for a real job." Larry is surprised and replies, "How can that be? I've achieved all of my IEP goals!" The tag line under the cartoon reads, "Larry learns the hard way that school and the real world don't always see success the same way."
- Parent Collections: Absurdities and Realities of Special Education, Ants in His Pants
Inclusion Every Tuesday and Thursday
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- Creator: Giangreco, Michael F., 1956-.
- Date Created: 1998
- Description: This cartoon has two panels stacked vertically. The top panel shows a mother sitting in an upholstered arm chair at home on the phone with the school principal. She says, "We have just moved to the area and we have a daughter with a disability. Do you have inclusive education at your school?" In the lower panel the principal is seated on his desk on the phone and replies, "Yes! Every Tuesday and Thursday from 9 to 11!" The tag line reads, "Principal Jones fails to recognize the contradiction in terms."
- Parent Collections: Absurdities and Realities of Special Education, Ants in His Pants
Power of Test Results
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- Creator: Giangreco, Michael F., 1956-.
- Date Created: 1998
- Description: This cartoon has two panels with nearly identical images showing a teacher and occupational therapist talking about a student. In the upper frame the occupational therapist asks, "How have you found Sarah's handwriting?" The teacher replies, "Actually, it's quite good. In fact, it's as good or better than the other 2nd graders." In the lower frame the occupational therapist replies, "The results of my OT evaluation indicate substantial visual-perceptual-motor delays. She'll need special seating, a slant board, a special pencil grip, and an hour a week of direct therapy." The teacher seems surprised, but acquiesces and says, "She seems to be doing fine... but you're the expert!" The tag line under the cartoon reads, "Mrs. Baker questions her 20 years of experience as a second grade teacher and succumbs to the awesome power of test results."
- Parent Collections: Absurdities and Realities of Special Education, Ants in His Pants
English Literature
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- Creator: Giangreco, Michael F., 1956-.
- Date Created: 1998
- Description: This cartoon shows a teacher in front of two high school students seated in wheelchairs with lap trays. The teacher says, "Welcome to 11th grade English Literature!" One student says to the other, "Pay up George!" His classmate says, "Alright, you win. But I can't believe we're through with nursery rhymes!" The tag line under the cartoon reads, "Special Education students turn to gambling to avoid the boredom of age-inappropriate activities."
- Parent Collections: Absurdities and Realities of Special Education, Ants in His Pants
Elevating Vagueness to an Art Form
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- Creator: Giangreco, Michael F., 1956-.
- Date Created: 1998
- Description: This cartoon shows two special educators having a conversation. The first says, "Don't you think this goal is a bit vague? Mark will improve communication skills?" The second person says, "No. That way it can mean whatever you want it to and we'll never have to change the IEP -- I've used that goal for Mark for the last five years!" The tag line under the cartoon reads, "Frank elevates vagueness to an art form."
- Parent Collections: Absurdities and Realities of Special Education, Ants in His Pants