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 51 - 60 of 342 Records
Which Path?
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- Description: This cartoon has two panels stacked vertically. The upper and lower panels are overlapped on the far left by the image of an infant in a cradle. The upper panel , labeled BIGGER LIFE, shows a bright, vibrantly colored scene of a path go up a hillside. Along this upward path are images of buildings that are labeled inclusive schooling, real (supported) work, and home in community. At the top of the hill it shows two people together labeled relationships and choices. The lower panel, labeled SMALLER LIFE, shows a dark and muted scene with few signs of life on a jagged descending pathways going down a hillside. Along the downward path are images of buildings that are labeled segregated schooling, sheltered employment or no work, and groiup home. At the bottom of the hill it showas a peron falling into an abyss labeled increasing isolation and limited choices. The tag line underneath the cartoon reads: Which Path Should We Pursue? To the left side of the cartoon there is an acknowledgement line that reads" Inspired by the Australian Alliance for Inclusive Education www.allmeansall.org.au.
- Parent Collections: Absurdities and Realities of Special Education, Post CD
Outnumbered?
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- Creator: Giangreco, Michael F., 1956-.
- Date Created: 1998
- Description: This cartoon shows a long table with a parent and his advocate seated at the near side (backs to the viewer). Across the table are ten professionals, each identified by a hat indicating their profession (e.g., OT, PT, SLP, Principal). One of the professionals says, "I'm not sure why Mr. Barth always feels compelled to bring an advocate to the IEP meeting." The tag line under the cartoon reads, "Outnumbered?"
- Parent Collections: Absurdities and Realities of Special Education, Ants in His Pants
Severely Dysfunctional Team
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- Creator: Giangreco, Michael F., 1956-.
- Date Created: 1998
- Description: The cartoon shows three team members walking down three separate hallways from a common intersection -- each carrying a dismembered body part. The occupational therapist is carrying two arms; the speech-language pathologist is carrying a head; the physical therapist is carrying two legs. The tag line under the cartoon reads, "Severely Dysfunctional Team."
- Parent Collections: Absurdities and Realities of Special Education, Ants in His Pants
Cat and Mouse
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- Creator: Giangreco, Michael F., 1956-.
- Date Created: 1998
- Description: This cartoon shows a school administrator wearing a cat mask sitting across the table from a mother of a child with a disability who is wearing Mickey Mouse ears. The tag line under the cartoon reads, "After years of playing cat and mouse to develop an IEP, Casey's mother longs for a chance to be the cat for once!"
- Parent Collections: Absurdities and Realities of Special Education, Ants in His Pants
Cart Before the Horse
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- Creator: Giangreco, Michael F., 1956-.
- Date Created: 1998
- Description: This cartoon shows a farmer scratching his head and looking confused as he looks at a draft horse hooked to a wagon the wrong way -- with the cart in front of the horse instead of behind it. The tag line under the cartoon reads, "Harry persists in putting support services before educational goals and placement."
- Parent Collections: Absurdities and Realities of Special Education, Ants in His Pants
Getting What you Want
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- Creator: Giangreco, Michael F., 1956-.
- Date Created: 1998
- Description: This cartoon shows a school administrator and a parent sitting across from each other at table. The expression the administrator's face looks pleased and satisfied as he says, "After lengthy negotiations, we have a plan for Jason's inclusion in regular class. It meets all your requests for direct support services." The parent's face looks distressed as she makes the sound "Gulp!" as she looks at the schedule on the table between them. Every time block shows a direct service (e.g., OT, PT, Speech, Vision, O&M, Hydrotherapy, sensory integration, tutoring) before dismissal and no time in the regular classroom. The tag line under the cartoon reads, "Jason's mother has a close encounter with the old saying: The only thing worse than not getting what want is getting what you want."
- Parent Collections: Absurdities and Realities of Special Education, Ants in His Pants
Too Low a Criterion
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- Creator: Giangreco, Michael F., 1956-.
- Date Created: 1998
- Description: This cartoon shows a state trooper standing in front of his car talking to a teacher on the roadside while a student with disability is on the ground in the middle of the street injured with his wheelchair mangled. The trooper asks, "What happened here?" The teacher says, "I guess we used too low a criterion". The tag line under the cartoon reads, "Mrs. Walker learns the hard way that sometimes 80% correct just isn't good enough."
- Parent Collections: Absurdities and Realities of Special Education, Ants in His Pants
Always Behind Us
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- Creator: Giangreco, Michael F., 1956-.
- Date Created: 1998
- Description: This cartoon shows a class of students in a group ahead in the distance walking together on a sidewalk. Far behind them is a student in a wheelchair being pushed by an adult. One of the students in the group asks a classmate, "Why is George always behind us whenever we go places?" The tag line under the cartoon reads, Second grade students ponder one of the great mysteries of Hillview School."
- Parent Collections: Absurdities and Realities of Special Education, Ants in His Pants
Headlock
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- Creator: Giangreco, Michael F., 1956-.
- Date Created: 1998
- Description: This cartoon shows a scene in a school cafeteria where an occupational therapist using full jaw control while feeding a child with a disability who is seated in a wheelchair. A classmate without disabilities who is seeing this technique for the first time is alarmed by what she is seeing and saying to here teacher, "Why does that lady have Lisa in a headlock?" The teacher, who looks perplexed says, "I don't know. I'll ask her." The tag line under the cartoon reads, "Being unfamiliar with therapeutic techniques, Kelsey fears might be on the receiving end of a knee-drop or body slam."
- Parent Collections: Absurdities and Realities of Special Education, Ants in His Pants
Doing it Wrong Doesn't Make it Wrong
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- Creator: Giangreco, Michael F., 1956-.
- Date Created: 1998
- Description: This cartoon shows two school colleagues conversing. The one seated behind the desk says, "We placed Jason in a regular class part of the time, we assigned a full-time aide, and we even did therapy in the back of the classroom. He still can't do the same work as the other kids... Inclusion isn't right for everyone." His colleague shakes his head in disbelief and replies, "You STILL don't get it!" The tag line under the cartoon reads, "Inclusive Education: Doing it wrong doesn't make it wrong." The note on the side indicates, "Inspired by Michael Hock."
- Parent Collections: Absurdities and Realities of Special Education, Ants in His Pants