Absurdities and Realities of Special Education
Collection Overview
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...
Show moreAbsurdities 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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Pages
- Title
- 1. Ants in His Pants
- Date Created
- 1998
- Description
-
This collection includes 111 color cartoon images from the book Ants in His Pants. A digital version of the book with the cartoons in the order they were originally published is available at this link: https://cdi.uvm.edu/book/uvmcdi-105567
Giangreco, M. F. (1998). Ants in his pants: Absurdities...
Show moreThis collection includes 111 color cartoon images from the book Ants in His Pants. A digital version of the book with the cartoons in the order they were originally published is available at this link: https://cdi.uvm.edu/book/uvmcdi-105567Giangreco, M. F. (1998). Ants in his pants: Absurdities and realities of special education. Corwin. (out of print, 2019).
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- Title
- 2. Flying by the Seat of Your Pants
- Date Created
- 1999
- Description
-
This collection includes 105 color cartoon images from Flying by the Seat of Your Pants. A digital version of the book with the cartoons in the order they were originally published is available at this link: https://cdi.uvm.edu/book/uvmcdi-105460
Giangreco, M. F. (1999). Flying by the seat of...
Show moreThis collection includes 105 color cartoon images from Flying by the Seat of Your Pants. A digital version of the book with the cartoons in the order they were originally published is available at this link: https://cdi.uvm.edu/book/uvmcdi-105460Giangreco, M. F. (1999). Flying by the seat of your pants: More absurdities and realities of special education. Corwin. (out of print, 2019).
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- Title
- 3. Teaching Old Logs New Tricks
- Date Created
- 2000
- Description
-
This collection includes 101 color cartoon images from Teaching Old Logs New Tricks. A digital version of the book with the cartoons in the order they were originally published is available at this link: https://cdi.uvm.edu/book/uvmcdi-105357
Giangreco, M. F. (2000). Teaching old logs new tricks:...
Show moreThis collection includes 101 color cartoon images from Teaching Old Logs New Tricks. A digital version of the book with the cartoons in the order they were originally published is available at this link: https://cdi.uvm.edu/book/uvmcdi-105357Giangreco, M. F. (2000). Teaching old logs new tricks: Absurdities and realities of education. Corwin. (out of print, 2019).
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- Title
- 4. CD Only
- Date Created
- 2007
- Description
-
This collection includes 12 color cartoon images that were originally published on searchable CD: Giangreco, M. F. (2007). Absurdities and realities of special education: The complete digital set [searchable CD]. Corwin. (out of print, 2019). This subset of 12 cartoons were part of The Complete...
Show moreThis collection includes 12 color cartoon images that were originally published on searchable CD: Giangreco, M. F. (2007). Absurdities and realities of special education: The complete digital set [searchable CD]. Corwin. (out of print, 2019). This subset of 12 cartoons were part of The Complete Digital Set on the CD that included 327 both color and black and white digital images of all of the cartoons in the three books/subcollections: (1) Ants in Pants..., (2) Flying by the Seat of Your Pants..., and (3) Teaching Old Logs New Tricks. The 12 cartoons in this subcollection were those not previously published in the earlier books.
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- Title
- 5. Post CD
- Date Created
- 2010-2021
- Description
-
This collection includes 6 color cartoon images that were created between 2010-2021, after the publication of the books and CD.
- Title
- Bending Over Backwards
- Date Created
- 1999
- Description
-
The cartoon shows a classroom teacher and a student at a desk. The teacher is doing a back bend and pointing at the students work. The teacher says "Nice work Melanie!" and the Melanie says "Thanks for your help Mrs. V." The tag line reads "Mrs. V. is the kind of classroom teacher who bends over...
Show moreThe cartoon shows a classroom teacher and a student at a desk. The teacher is doing a back bend and pointing at the students work. The teacher says "Nice work Melanie!" and the Melanie says "Thanks for your help Mrs. V." The tag line reads "Mrs. V. is the kind of classroom teacher who bends over backwards for all of her students."
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- Title
- The Eagle Has Landed
- Date Created
- 1999
- Description
-
Mrs. Snippett is standing by the door, in her classroom, speaking on the phone. There are students at desks in the background. The door is open and a student using a wheelchair enters. He says to her, "Hi. Mrs. Snippett. I'm your new student. Mrs. Snippet has her head turned an her hand shielding...
Show moreMrs. Snippett is standing by the door, in her classroom, speaking on the phone. There are students at desks in the background. The door is open and a student using a wheelchair enters. He says to her, "Hi. Mrs. Snippett. I'm your new student. Mrs. Snippet has her head turned an her hand shielding her mouth. She says into the phone, "The eagle has landed Houston. We have a problem." The tag line under the cartoon reads, "After years of eluding students with disabilities, one finally catches up with Mrs. Snippett.
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- Title
- Eating His Hat
- Date Created
- 1999
- Description
-
The cartoon shows a man salting his hat and eating it. The tag line reads "Roy makes good on his promise to eat his hat when students with severe disabilities are successfully included in General Education classes."
- Title
- Educating Roaches
- Date Created
- 1999
- Description
-
The cartoon is two panels in the top frame of the panel are a man and a woman. The man is a reporter and is interviewing the woman who is holding up a "Not Roaches" sign. He says "And now a commentary from Bertha Snippett." And Bertha says "Who are these 'Inclusive Education' people and why do...
Show moreThe cartoon is two panels in the top frame of the panel are a man and a woman. The man is a reporter and is interviewing the woman who is holding up a "Not Roaches" sign. He says "And now a commentary from Bertha Snippett." And Bertha says "Who are these 'Inclusive Education' people and why do they want to educate supportive roaches? I don't care how supportive the are! Roaches are nasty little bugs and furthermore..." In the lower frame the reporter interrupts and says "Excuse me, it's not "educating supportive roaches." It's "Educationally Supportive Approaches." Mrs. Snippett says, turning red in the face "Oh...never mind." The tag line reads "Inclusion mishap #13: Mrs. Snippett decides it's finally time to have her hearing tested."
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- Title
- Foot in the Door
- Date Created
- 1999
- Description
-
The cartoon shows a child at the door of a class room trying to get in the door he is rapping on the door and has his foot in the door. There is a man trying to close the door from the right side of the panel. There is a word bubble that says "Rap!Rap!Rap!" in it. The tag line reads "Placement of...
Show moreThe cartoon shows a child at the door of a class room trying to get in the door he is rapping on the door and has his foot in the door. There is a man trying to close the door from the right side of the panel. There is a word bubble that says "Rap!Rap!Rap!" in it. The tag line reads "Placement of a child with a disability in a General Education classroom is not enough to be included, it's just a foot in the door."
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- Title
- Frequent Includer Program
- Date Created
- 1999
- Description
-
The Cartoon shows a male teacher sitting at a desk with two parents standing on the other side of the desk in front of him. The teacher is saying "So, I can earn 20,000 points for each student with a disability I include in a regular class?" The father says "That's right! Redeemable for items in...
Show moreThe Cartoon shows a male teacher sitting at a desk with two parents standing on the other side of the desk in front of him. The teacher is saying "So, I can earn 20,000 points for each student with a disability I include in a regular class?" The father says "That's right! Redeemable for items in our catalogue." The tag line reads "Desperate parents resort to establishing their own 'frequent Includer Program.'"
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- Title
- Hanging On
- Date Created
- 1999
- Description
-
The cartoon shows a panel with a yellow background and the word inclusion in orange block letters. A man is holding onto the letter N with his teeth and someone from outside the panel is exclaiming, "Hang On!!" the tag line reads "People with disabilities don't have any skin on their teeth, and...
Show moreThe cartoon shows a panel with a yellow background and the word inclusion in orange block letters. A man is holding onto the letter N with his teeth and someone from outside the panel is exclaiming, "Hang On!!" the tag line reads "People with disabilities don't have any skin on their teeth, and they shouldn't need any."
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- Title
- Head in the Clouds
- Date Created
- 1999
- Description
-
The cartoon shows two people standing at the top of a mountain overlooking a town with their heads in the clouds. The tag line reads, "Inclusive Education: Proving you can dream with your head in the clouds and still have your feet on the ground."
- Title
- Inclusion Patrol
- Date Created
- 1999
- Description
-
This cartoon has two panels stacked vertically. The top panel is divided, showing two people talking on the phone. The man on the left says, "Inclusion patrol can I help you?" the woman on the right (Mrs. Snippett) says, "Yes. We are trying to develop a model to transition our preschool students...
Show moreThis cartoon has two panels stacked vertically. The top panel is divided, showing two people talking on the phone. The man on the left says, "Inclusion patrol can I help you?" the woman on the right (Mrs. Snippett) says, "Yes. We are trying to develop a model to transition our preschool students with disabilities into inclusive settings when they reach school age. Have you heard of any good models?" In the bottom panel the same two people are on the phone. The man says, "Yes, ma'am. It's called kindergarten in the neighborhood schools." She replies, "Right?! We hadn't thought of that!" The tag line under the cartoon reads, "Another annoying true story from the files of the inclusion patrol."
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- Title
- Mirror
- 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...
Show moreThis 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."
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- Title
- Old Hat
- Date Created
- 1999
- Description
-
The cartoon shows a classroom table with children sitting around it working on papers together. Two teachers are in the left side of the frame chatting, one is wearing an old baseball hat. And one is wearing a hairband and glasses. The teacher with the hairband says "It's amazing how well you...
Show moreThe cartoon shows a classroom table with children sitting around it working on papers together. Two teachers are in the left side of the frame chatting, one is wearing an old baseball hat. And one is wearing a hairband and glasses. The teacher with the hairband says "It's amazing how well you have adjusted your teaching now that students with severe disabilities are in your class." The teacher in the old hat says "Well, I just keep reminding myself that my students were each different before 'Inclusive Education' that hasn't changed, just expanded." The tag line reads "Mrs. King sports her worn softball cap as a reminder that individualizing to meet unique student needs is old hat to good teachers."
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- Title
- Placement Problem #32
- Date Created
- 1999
- Description
-
The cartoon shows a classroom of students with one very large older boy sitting with all the other younger children. The tag lines reads "Placement problem #32: Functioning level rather than chronological age."
- Title
- Pumped Up
- Date Created
- 1999
- Description
-
The cartoon shows a woman lifting weights on a barbell. The tag line reads "Mrs. Hart gets pumped up about teaching a full range of students, because even though it's hard work, the results really show."
- Title
- Small Print
- Date Created
- 1999
- Description
-
The cartoon shows a document titled "Mission Statement." There is a large magnifying glass over a section of the document that enlarge the words "child," "except," "for" and "students." The top of the document reads, "All children can learn, are welcome." Some of the title is under the magnifying...
Show moreThe cartoon shows a document titled "Mission Statement." There is a large magnifying glass over a section of the document that enlarge the words "child," "except," "for" and "students." The top of the document reads, "All children can learn, are welcome." Some of the title is under the magnifying glass. The tag line under the cartoon reads, "Fred was shocked when he read the small print."
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- Title
- Subtle Reminder
- Date Created
- 1999
- Description
-
The cartoon shows a classroom with kids sitting at their desks and an Elephant in the corner of the room with a sign on its trunk that says "Remember to include my child!!" The teacher saying "I don't see an elephant in the room…do you?" and another person in the room says "No...I don't either......
Show moreThe cartoon shows a classroom with kids sitting at their desks and an Elephant in the corner of the room with a sign on its trunk that says "Remember to include my child!!" The teacher saying "I don't see an elephant in the room…do you?" and another person in the room says "No...I don't either..." The tag line reads "After meetings, phone calls, and letters had failed, one parent tried a subtle reminder."
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