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
- Limitations of Homogeneous Grouping
- Date Created
- 1998
- Description
-
This cartoon has two frames stacked vertically. The top frame shows a special education pushing two students in wheelchairs simultaneously while leaving a third behind; he says, "Jimmy - I’ll be right back to get you!" In the bottom frame he goes back to get Jimmy, now pushing him while having...
Show moreThis cartoon has two frames stacked vertically. The top frame shows a special education pushing two students in wheelchairs simultaneously while leaving a third behind; he says, "Jimmy - I’ll be right back to get you!" In the bottom frame he goes back to get Jimmy, now pushing him while having left the other two students a few feet ahead; he says to them, "OK guys. Once we get up there I can move you 10 more feet toward the cafeteria." The tag line under the cartoon reads, "One of the many practical limitations of homogeneous grouping."
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- Title
- Line in the Sand
- Date Created
- 1998
- Description
-
This cartoon has two panels offset stepwise. In the upper panel five children are the beach. Three children have used a stick to draw a line in the sand where they are on one side and on the other side are two other children looking sad, one of whom is seated in a wheelchair. In the lower panel...
Show moreThis cartoon has two panels offset stepwise. In the upper panel five children are the beach. Three children have used a stick to draw a line in the sand where they are on one side and on the other side are two other children looking sad, one of whom is seated in a wheelchair. In the lower panel all five students are inside a circle that has been drawn in the sand. The tag line reads, "Marc give new meaning to drawing a line in the sand."
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- Title
- Little League
- Date Created
- 1998
- Description
-
This cartoon shows teammates sitting on the bench at a baseball game as they watch their teammate, Marty, up at bat while umpire behind the catcher calls out, "That's ball four." One teammate on the bench says, "Marty hardly ever swings at the ball. Is that because of his disability?" Another...
Show moreThis cartoon shows teammates sitting on the bench at a baseball game as they watch their teammate, Marty, up at bat while umpire behind the catcher calls out, "That's ball four." One teammate on the bench says, "Marty hardly ever swings at the ball. Is that because of his disability?" Another teammate says, "I don't know -- but he has the highest on-base percentage of anyone on the team." The tag line under the cartoon reads, "Little League Teammates learn there are many ways to contribute."
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- Title
- Lobsterville
- Date Created
- 1998
- Description
-
This cartoon shows a boy being greeted by man who has one hand that looks like a lobster claw in front of a building that looks like a gigantic lobster trap with a giant lobster already caught inside. The tag line under the cartoon reads, "Mr. Crusty welcomes Fred to the Lobsterville Special...
Show moreThis cartoon shows a boy being greeted by man who has one hand that looks like a lobster claw in front of a building that looks like a gigantic lobster trap with a giant lobster already caught inside. The tag line under the cartoon reads, "Mr. Crusty welcomes Fred to the Lobsterville Special Education Center where their motto is 'You can get in, but you can't get out!'"
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- Title
- Longevity
- Date Created
- 1999
- Description
-
The cartoon shows two men one handing the other a "Special Longevity Award." The man on the right of the panel is saying "Thank you for your dedicated service. Please, Pleeeease don't leave." The man receiving the award says "I don't understand. I just started working 3 months ago!" The tag line...
Show moreThe cartoon shows two men one handing the other a "Special Longevity Award." The man on the right of the panel is saying "Thank you for your dedicated service. Please, Pleeeease don't leave." The man receiving the award says "I don't understand. I just started working 3 months ago!" The tag line reads "Reducing Turnover: Education officials implement part of their early intervention program." The note on the left says, "Inspired by Dennis Kane."
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- Title
- Looking for Luck
- Date Created
- 1999
- Description
-
The cartoon shows a man wearing a Fighting Irish shirt, throwing salt over his right shoulder, holding a 4 leaf clover and a rabbit's foot, standing on 2 horseshoes. There is a person in the lower left corner of the panel asking, "What are you doing?" The man responds, "Getting ready for my son's...
Show moreThe cartoon shows a man wearing a Fighting Irish shirt, throwing salt over his right shoulder, holding a 4 leaf clover and a rabbit's foot, standing on 2 horseshoes. There is a person in the lower left corner of the panel asking, "What are you doing?" The man responds, "Getting ready for my son's IEP Meeting." The tag line reads "Looking for luck in all the wrong places."
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- Title
- Low Hurdles
- Date Created
- 2010-2013
- Description
-
This cartoon shows three educators (dressed professionally) running in lanes on a track as they jump over hurdles. An administrator is standing on the inside of the track handing out justification forms as they race by and says, "Just fill out this nifty justification form to get a parapro." The...
Show moreThis cartoon shows three educators (dressed professionally) running in lanes on a track as they jump over hurdles. An administrator is standing on the inside of the track handing out justification forms as they race by and says, "Just fill out this nifty justification form to get a parapro." The professional in Lane 1 (closest to the administrator) while jumping over a hurdle reaches for a form and says, "No sweat, I can do that." The professional in Lane 2, while jumping over a hurdle says, "Me too!" The professional in Lane 3, while jumping over a hurdle says, "I'll take one of those." The tag line under the cartoon reads, "Low Hurdles: Racing to Get a Parapro."
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- Title
- Lunacy
- Date Created
- 1999
- Description
-
The cartoon shows the full moon with stars in the dark sky and a dog sitting on the top of a hill howling at the moon. There is a building with a group of people that you can see through a window sitting around a table having a meeting. Someone in the room says "Are we in agreement? In order to...
Show moreThe cartoon shows the full moon with stars in the dark sky and a dog sitting on the top of a hill howling at the moon. There is a building with a group of people that you can see through a window sitting around a table having a meeting. Someone in the room says "Are we in agreement? In order to teach our students with disabilities to function in our community we should send them away to learn some place else." The tag line reads "Lunacy!? After several bad experiences with the lunar cycle, school officials decide not to hold any more meetings during the full moon."
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- Title
- Magic Stapler
- Date Created
- 1998
- Description
-
This image depicts a faux advertisement poster. At the top is says, "You can purchase this Magic Stapler $12.99" It shows the image of a basic stapler and star burst where it had stapled together multiple pages of an IEP, each page labeled with goals of different disciplines: special education,...
Show moreThis image depicts a faux advertisement poster. At the top is says, "You can purchase this Magic Stapler $12.99" It shows the image of a basic stapler and star burst where it had stapled together multiple pages of an IEP, each page labeled with goals of different disciplines: special education, physical therapy, speech-language pathology, and orientation and. mobility. The bottom of the poster says, "Comes with 599 magic staples -- no fairy dust required." The tag line under the cartoon reads, "Transform your separate, disjointed, discipline-specific, uncoordinated goals into a team IEP."
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- Title
- Mail Order Diplomas
- Date Created
- 1999
- Description
-
The cartoon shows an open book of matches. On the inside cover of the matchbook is written. "HOCUS - POCUS U. (M M IT'S LIKE MAGIC! M M) If you have a stamp and a credit card, we're your school! Earn your diploma by mail without ever leaving home! Now offering: PH.D. Master's, Bachelor's, GED,"...
Show moreThe cartoon shows an open book of matches. On the inside cover of the matchbook is written. "HOCUS - POCUS U. (M M IT'S LIKE MAGIC! M M) If you have a stamp and a credit card, we're your school! Earn your diploma by mail without ever leaving home! Now offering: PH.D. Master's, Bachelor's, GED," and written in a yellow star, "New IEP Diploma!!! Earn Credit for your life experience." Tag line reads, "Mail order Universities add the increasingly popular IEP diploma to their offerings."
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- Title
- Making you Talk
- Date Created
- 1999
- Description
-
The cartoon shows a yellow door with a sign on it that reads "Speech/Language Pathology Office." Through the window in the door you can see three people. One man sitting at a desk across from a boy, who looks scared, and a woman, who looks angry, standing shining a light on the boy. The tag line...
Show moreThe cartoon shows a yellow door with a sign on it that reads "Speech/Language Pathology Office." Through the window in the door you can see three people. One man sitting at a desk across from a boy, who looks scared, and a woman, who looks angry, standing shining a light on the boy. The tag line reads "We have ways of making you talk!"
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- Title
- Marking Territory
- Date Created
- 1999
- Description
-
The cartoon shows people sniffing around the area like dogs. One man is sniffing a tree another is sniffing a fire hydrant, another is peeing on a lamp post and another is sniffing a fence. The tag line reads "Marking Their Territory team members in experimental therapy learn to overcome...
Show moreThe cartoon shows people sniffing around the area like dogs. One man is sniffing a tree another is sniffing a fire hydrant, another is peeing on a lamp post and another is sniffing a fence. The tag line reads "Marking Their Territory team members in experimental therapy learn to overcome primitive behavior."
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- Title
- Marriage of General and Special Education
- Date Created
- 1998
- Description
-
This cartoon shows two people getting married. They are holding hands as they move through a doorway together. Behind them in shadows are lots of luggage of various shapes and sizes. The tag line under the cartoon reads, "In the marriage of general and special education, both parties agree to...
Show moreThis cartoon shows two people getting married. They are holding hands as they move through a doorway together. Behind them in shadows are lots of luggage of various shapes and sizes. The tag line under the cartoon reads, "In the marriage of general and special education, both parties agree to leave their baggage at the door." The note on the side indicates, "Inspired by Mara Sapon-Shevin, Rich Villa, and Jacque Thousand."
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- Title
- Mediation
- Date Created
- 1999
- Description
-
The cartoon shows Mr. Moody sitting cross legged on the floor with his eyes closed. There is a person in the left corner of the frame saying, "What are you doing? We're supposed to be preparing for our meeting." Mr. Moody responds "I am! I was told I had to go through meditation before due...
Show moreThe cartoon shows Mr. Moody sitting cross legged on the floor with his eyes closed. There is a person in the left corner of the frame saying, "What are you doing? We're supposed to be preparing for our meeting." Mr. Moody responds "I am! I was told I had to go through meditation before due process." The tag line reads "Mediation breakdown #31:Luckily, Mr. Moody's misunderstanding helped him to feel calm and centered."
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- Title
- Meet Half Way
- Date Created
- 2007
- Description
-
This cartoon shows a school principal standing in front of a classroom of parents. The banner on wall says, "Parent Teacher Organization: Beginning of the Year Q & A." One of the parents asks, "Mr. Marcotte, we've been hearing some stories from the kids about the new teacher that have us...
Show moreThis cartoon shows a school principal standing in front of a classroom of parents. The banner on wall says, "Parent Teacher Organization: Beginning of the Year Q & A." One of the parents asks, "Mr. Marcotte, we've been hearing some stories from the kids about the new teacher that have us concerned." The principal replies, "Tell you what -- If you don't believe half of what the kids tell you about us, we won't believe half of what they tell us about you." The tag line under the cartoon reads, "Parents and teachers meet half way." A note on left side reads, "Inspired by Rick Marcotte."
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- Title
- Meet the Standards
- Date Created
- 1999
- Description
-
The cartoon shows Mr. Moody (administrator) standing with a line of students behind him and a couple with a baby, Mr. and Mrs. Standard, in front of them. Mr. Moody says "Suzy, I'd like you to meet Mr. Standard, his wife, Mrs. Standard and their little baby Standard- They're new in town." The tag...
Show moreThe cartoon shows Mr. Moody (administrator) standing with a line of students behind him and a couple with a baby, Mr. and Mrs. Standard, in front of them. Mr. Moody says "Suzy, I'd like you to meet Mr. Standard, his wife, Mrs. Standard and their little baby Standard- They're new in town." The tag line reads "Confused by a state education directive, Mr. Moody arranges for every student in his school to meet the Standards."
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- Title
- Meeting Mania
- Date Created
- 1999
- Description
-
The cartoon shows educators sitting around a big table. One man is saying "Our agenda for today's meeting is to review the agenda from our last meeting, discuss why we don't get much accomplished at meetings, and set a date for our next meeting." The tag line reads "Meeting Mania."
- 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
- Misdemeanor Middle School
- Date Created
- 1998
- Description
-
This cartoon shows a student in a wheelchair sitting outside a school. The school building is on tall stilts, is surrounded by barbed wire, and has only one entrance at the top of a long steep stairway. The building has a ground level sign that says, "IDEA, L.R.E., and F.A.P.E" and high above a...
Show moreThis cartoon shows a student in a wheelchair sitting outside a school. The school building is on tall stilts, is surrounded by barbed wire, and has only one entrance at the top of a long steep stairway. The building has a ground level sign that says, "IDEA, L.R.E., and F.A.P.E" and high above a sign over the entrance door reads, "Welcome. Misdemeanor Middle School." The student looking up at the inaccessible entrance has a thought bubble filled with random characters indicating he's saying a series of expletives to himself. The tag line under the cartoon reads, "Administration at Misdemeanor Middle School continue to consider themselves above the law."
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- Title
- Mission Impossible
- Date Created
- 1999
- Description
-
The cartoon shows a man sitting in an airplane with headphones on listening to a tape player. The message says "Good morning Mr. Phelps. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to provide special education supports for a caseload of 40 students with a wide range of disabilities who are...
Show moreThe cartoon shows a man sitting in an airplane with headphones on listening to a tape player. The message says "Good morning Mr. Phelps. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to provide special education supports for a caseload of 40 students with a wide range of disabilities who are placed in General Education classes. This tape will self destruct..." The tag line reads "Mission Impossible."
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