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 261 - 270 of 342 Records
Mirror
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- Creator: Giangreco, Michael F., 1956-.
- Date Created: 2007
- Description: This cartoon has two panels stacked vertically. The top panel shows two teachers talking with each other while some students are working at a table in the background. One teacher says to the other, "Erin is doing so well in your class! How has it been teaching a student with a disability?" The other teacher replies, "Well, the first day I saw an intimidated, scared girl." The second panel below show the same image but now the responding teacher is shown with a thought bubble where she is seeing younger (child version) of herself in a mirror as intimidated and scared, while she adds, "Then I realized I was looking in the mirror." The tag line under the cartoon reads, "Reflections of a high school English teacher." A note on the left side reads, "Inspired by Erin McKenzie and Peggy Burner."
- Parent Collections: Absurdities and Realities of Special Education, CD Only
Bridging the Gap
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- Creator: Giangreco, Michael F., 1956-.
- Date Created: 2010-2013
- Description: This cartoon shows a bridge under construction spanning a river. There are completed parts from both sides of the river, one labeled "Research" and the other labeled "Practices in Schools." The middle section is open, not yet completed. A crane is lifting the connecting piece into place, labeled "Service Delivery." The tag line under the cartoon reads, "Bridging the Gap."
- Parent Collections: Absurdities and Realities of Special Education, Post CD
BeFORE and After
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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 teacher sitting in a chair holding a 1-10 number line and point the number 7. He says, "Children, we're going to practice numbers that come BEFORE and AFTER other numbers. OK. What number is this?" A student replies "7." In the lower frame with the same image the teacher says, "Good. What number comes beFORE this number?" The student says, "B3?" The tag line under the cartoon reads, "Mr. Green's students experience Cue Confusion."
- Parent Collections: Absurdities and Realities of Special Education, Ants in His Pants
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