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 171 - 180 of 342 Records
Lesson League
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- Creator: Giangreco, Michael F., 1956-.
- Date Created: 2000
- Description: The cartoon shows a classroom with a teacher standing at the chalkboard in front of a class of kids. One of the kids in the front row is holding up a tape recorder and asks, "Mrs. Johnson, is it OK if I tape today's lesson?" Mrs. Johnson replies, "This lesson is intended for the private use of my class. Any rebroadcast or other use of this lesson without the express written consent of the national teacher lesson league is strictly prohibited." The tag line reads, "Simple accommodations in the age of litigation."
- Parent Collections: Absurdities and Realities of Special Education, Teaching Old Logs New Tricks
Fanning The Flames
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- Creator: Giangreco, Michael F., 1956-.
- Date Created: 2000
- Description: The cartoon shows an outdoor scene with a bridge over a gully and three people standing on it. There are two people under the bridge building a small fire. One of the people on the bridge says, "Are you warm or is it just me?" One of the people under the bridge says, "It's got to be hot, but not too hot." The tag line reads, "Fanning the flames of change: Lighting a fire under people without burning your bridges."
- Parent Collections: Absurdities and Realities of Special Education, Teaching Old Logs New Tricks
Confusion Reigns
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- Creator: Giangreco, Michael F., 1956-.
- Date Created: 2000
- Description: The cartoon shows a group of five educators standing out in the pouring rain. From left to right they are doing and saying the following: The first person is holding rolled up diplomas and says, "We've got the skills!" The is holding a bunch of carrots and says, "We've got the incentives." The man in the middle is holding a bag of money and says, "We've got the resources!" The next is holding a piece of paper and says, "We've got the plan!" The person on the far right is throwing his hands up in the air while saying, "But where are we headed?" The tag line reads, "Without a vision confusion reigns!"
- Parent Collections: Absurdities and Realities of Special Education, Teaching Old Logs New Tricks
Low Hurdles
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- Creator: Giangreco, Michael F., 1956-.
- Date Created: 2010-2013
- Description: This cartoon shows three educators (dressed professionally) running in lanes on a track as they jump over hurdles. An administrator is standing on the inside of the track handing out justification forms as they race by and says, "Just fill out this nifty justification form to get a parapro." The professional in Lane 1 (closest to the administrator) while jumping over a hurdle reaches for a form and says, "No sweat, I can do that." The professional in Lane 2, while jumping over a hurdle says, "Me too!" The professional in Lane 3, while jumping over a hurdle says, "I'll take one of those." The tag line under the cartoon reads, "Low Hurdles: Racing to Get a Parapro."
- Parent Collections: Absurdities and Realities of Special Education, Post CD
A New Twist on School Bussing
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- Creator: Giangreco, Michael F., 1956-.
- Date Created: 1998
- Description: This cartoon has three panels; in all three a school administrator (Mr. Moody) is seated behind a desk with a parent in a chair across from him. In the first pane the parent says, "Mr. Moody, I'm very concerned that my son has been sent to 3 out-of-district schools in the past 5 years. In the second panel she asks, "How do you justify this practice?" and Mr. Moody replies, "Haven't you seen the district motto?" In the third panel he points to a sign embedded in an American flag which reads, "Join the Special Ed Program... See the County!" The tag line under the cartoon reads, "A new twist on school bussing."
- Parent Collections: Absurdities and Realities of Special Education, Ants in His Pants
Let me help you with that!
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- Creator: Giangreco, Michael F., 1956-.
- Date Created: 1998
- Description: This cartoon shows a paraprofessional and student seated together at a table with no other students. The paraprofessional is happily working on a class project cutting materials with scissors as she says, Let me help you with that!" The student, with a disappointed look on her face and none of the materials available to her says, "But when do I get a turn?" The tag line under the cartoon reads, "After only two months as a teacher assistant, Gladys finds her spelling has improved, math skills are honed, and she has discovered she has artistic ability."
- Parent Collections: Absurdities and Realities of Special Education, Ants in His Pants
Limitations of Homogeneous Grouping
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- Creator: Giangreco, Michael F., 1956-.
- Date Created: 1998
- Description: This cartoon has two frames stacked vertically. The top frame shows a special education pushing two students in wheelchairs simultaneously while leaving a third behind; he says, "Jimmy - I’ll be right back to get you!" In the bottom frame he goes back to get Jimmy, now pushing him while having left the other two students a few feet ahead; he says to them, "OK guys. Once we get up there I can move you 10 more feet toward the cafeteria." The tag line under the cartoon reads, "One of the many practical limitations of homogeneous grouping."
- Parent Collections: Absurdities and Realities of Special Education, Ants in His Pants
Peers Resort to Subversive Tactics
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- Creator: Giangreco, Michael F., 1956-.
- Date Created: 1998
- Description: This cartoon has two panels stacked vertically. The top panel shows three middle grades students seated at a table and talking to each other. The first student says, "Can you believe Harry has to spend all day with grown-ups?" The second student says, "Bummer man." The third student says, "I've got an idea. You distract the assistant..." In the lower panel one student waves to an assistant and calls out "Excuse me!" While the assistant's back is turned, the other two students quickly push a visibly happy Harry away while saying, "Let's go Harry!" The tag line reads, "Peers resort to subversive tactics."
- Parent Collections: Absurdities and Realities of Special Education, Ants in His Pants
Teamwork on Steroids
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- Creator: Giangreco, Michael F., 1956-.
- Date Created: 1998
- Description: This cartoon has two panels. In the upper panel three team members are hugging a person-sized smiling heart wearing sneakers with the label, "This is Collaborative Teamwork." In the lower panel the heart has been transformed into a menacing, muscular giant that dwarfs the three members in size as they ran away from it in fear. The tag line under the cartoon reads, "This is collaborative teamwork on steroids."
- Parent Collections: Absurdities and Realities of Special Education, Ants in His Pants
Speaking Loudly
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- Creator: Giangreco, Michael F., 1956-.
- Date Created: 1998
- Description: This cartoon shows a professional educator at a table with three children. She yells, "THAT'S VERY GOOD, ALAN, NOW IT'S JILL'S TURN" so loudly that the force of her voice makes the students' hair blow back as if in a wind storm. The tag line below the cartoon reads, "Ellen thinks speaking loudly is a form of specialized instruction."
- Parent Collections: Absurdities and Realities of Special Education, Ants in His Pants