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.

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Showing 1 - 4 of 4 Records

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2 2000 1 1998 1 1999
Miniature of Whine Cellar
Whine Cellar
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    • Creator: Giangreco, Michael F., 1956-.
    • Date Created: 1999
    • Description: The cartoon shows Mr. Moody and a woman going down the stairs into the cellar. There are wood barrels in the foreground of the frame and one of the barrels has a mouse and cheese on it. Mr. Moody says "Let's talk down here." The tag line reads "Mr. Moody escorts a disgruntled employee to the school's newly established Whine Cellar."
    • Parent Collections: Absurdities and Realities of Special Education, Flying by the Seat of Your Pants
    Miniature of Clearing the Path V2
    Clearing the Path V2
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      • Creator: Giangreco, Michael F., 1956-.
      • Date Created: 2000
      • Description: The cartoon shows a school with children waiting at the bottom of the stairs for a school custodian to shovel the snow so that they can get into the building. A student in a wheelchair asks the custodian, "Could you please shovel the ramp?" he replies, "All these other kids are waiting to use the stairs. When I get through shoveling them off then I will clear the ramp for you." The student in the wheelchair replies back, "But if you shovel the ramp we can all get in!" The tag line reads, "Clearing a path for everyone!"
      • Parent Collections: Absurdities and Realities of Special Education, Teaching Old Logs New Tricks
      Miniature of Stair Wars
      Stair Wars
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        • Creator: Giangreco, Michael F., 1956-.
        • Date Created: 1998
        • Description: This cartoon shows a boy at the top of a four-step stairway that goes straight into a wall as he says to his physical therapist. There's nothing here but a wall." His physical therapist is dressed in a Darth Vader costume holding a light sabre as he says, "Now walk back down the stairs!" The tag line under the cartoon reads, "STAIR WARS: Freddie is not amused by his physical therapist's choice of Halloween costume." A note on the side indicates, "Inspired by Norman Kunc."
        • Parent Collections: Absurdities and Realities of Special Education, Ants in His Pants
        Miniature of Clearing a Path
        Clearing a Path
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          • Creator: Giangreco, Michael F., 1956-.
          • Date Created: 2000
          • Description: The cartoon shows a school with children waiting at the bottom of the stairs for a school custodian to shovel the snow so that they can get into the building. A student in a wheelchair asks the custodian, "Could you please shovel the ramp?" he replies, "All these other kids are waiting to use the stairs. When I get through shoveling them off then I will clear the ramp for you." The student in the wheelchair replies back, "But if you shovel the ramp we can all get in!" The tag line reads, "Clearing a path for people with special needs clears the path for everyone!"
          • Parent Collections: Absurdities and Realities of Special Education, Teaching Old Logs New Tricks