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 - 25 of 25 Records
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
Pulling in Different Directions
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- Creator: Giangreco, Michael F., 1956-.
- Date Created: 1998
- Description: This cartoon shows a distressed looking students whose body parts are being pulled in different directions by ropes attached and labeled by various disciplines. A rope attached to his left leg (labeled PT) is pulling out. Another rope is attached to his right arm (labeled OT) is pulling in the opposite direction. A rope attached to his throat (labeled SLP) is pulling a different direction. A rope attached to his head (labeled Special Ed) is pulling in a different direction. The student being pulled in different directions says, "I'm not sure this is working for me!" The tag line under cartoon reads, Fred expresses concern after team members agree to all pull in different directions. "A tag line on the side reads, "With help from Dan Giangreco."
- Parent Collections: Absurdities and Realities of Special Education, Ants in His Pants
Lawyers Part of Every Day
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- Creator: Giangreco, Michael F., 1956-.
- Date Created: 1998
- Description: This cartoon shows a teacher at the door of her classroom with slightly confused look of her face as she says, "Can I help you?" to a man at her door. The man is carrying a brief case that is labeled with the words "Threats, Intimidation, Legalese, Coercion" and he says to the teacher, "Yes, I'm Bill M. Hourly, Esquire. I'm here to ensure collaboration for Joey's inclusion through adversarial methods." The tag line under the cartoon reads, "The Bar Association proposes an amendment to IDEA requiring that lawyers be part of every child's IEP team."
- Parent Collections: Absurdities and Realities of Special Education, Ants in His Pants
Molehills
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- Creator: Giangreco, Michael F., 1956-.
- Date Created: 1999
- Description: The cartoon shows three panels. In the first panel there is a man on the phone saying, "This morning there was a huge traffic Jam." In his thought bubble you see a four way stop with two other cars. In the second panel he is saying into the phone "Then I saw Jeff. He's put on so much weight!" In his thought bubble you now see Jeff just an ordinary guy average size. In the third panel he is saying into the phone "Did I tell you I have a student with a disability who is sooo much work. He really stands out!" In his thought bubble you see four students quietly doing their work. The tag line reads "Harry continues his efforts to gain admittance to the local 'Mountain Out of a Molehill' society."
- Parent Collections: Absurdities and Realities of Special Education, Flying by the Seat of Your Pants
Wavelength
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- Creator: Giangreco, Michael F., 1956-.
- Date Created: 2000
- Description: The cartoon shows a machine with knobs and a speaker that records and displays wavelengths. There are yellow waves crossing the monitor. On parallel (non-intersecting) waves displayed on the monitor are people trying to get to from their different wave lengths on to the same one. The tag line reads, "Team effectiveness requires all the members to get on the same wavelength."
- Parent Collections: Absurdities and Realities of Special Education, Teaching Old Logs New Tricks