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.
Show less
Pages
- Title
- Outnumbered?
- 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...
Show moreThis 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?"
Show less
- Title
- Pants down
- Date Created
- 2000
- Description
-
The cartoon shows a man with his pants down around his ankles wearing blue boxers with red hearts on them. He has a file in his hand and papers have fallen out on the floor that are labeled, "IEP." The man is saying "OOOOPS!" The tag line reads, "Are you prepared for all your students? Don't be...
Show moreThe cartoon shows a man with his pants down around his ankles wearing blue boxers with red hearts on them. He has a file in his hand and papers have fallen out on the floor that are labeled, "IEP." The man is saying "OOOOPS!" The tag line reads, "Are you prepared for all your students? Don't be caught with your pants down!"
Show less
- Title
- Pants Down
- Date Created
- 1998
- Description
-
This cartoon shows a special educator sitting at his desk writing and you can see that his pants are down around his ankles. The tag line under the cartoon reads, "Rodney is caught with his pants down -- writing goals and objectives without family input."
- Title
- Parapro Door
- Date Created
- 2007
- Description
-
This cartoon shows a person who has opened a door with a sign over the top that says "Paraprofessional Issues." With door opened it reveals a cluttered mess of objects (e.g., ladder, bike, sports equipment) and boxes with labels including: self-determination, family issues, peer supports, teacher...
Show moreThis cartoon shows a person who has opened a door with a sign over the top that says "Paraprofessional Issues." With door opened it reveals a cluttered mess of objects (e.g., ladder, bike, sports equipment) and boxes with labels including: self-determination, family issues, peer supports, teacher engagement, access to general education, teaching formats, special educator caseload. The person who has opened the door says, "Wow! I never realized all this was in here." The tag line under the cartoon reads, "Going in through the paraprofessional door."
Show less
- Title
- Parapro Gold
- Date Created
- 2007
- Description
-
This cartoon shows a scale where a paraprofessional is sitting on one side and on the counterbalanced side a conveyor belt is dropping 14K gold nuggets in an effort to balance the scales. The tag line under the cartoon reads, "Great paraprofessionals, used wisely, are worth their weight in gold."
- Title
- Parapro Supports
- Date Created
- 2010-2013
- Description
-
This cartoon shows a teacher sitting across from an administrator at his desk. The teacher says, "I have a question about some classroom supports I need." The administrator replies, "To save us time, effort, and expense, I have predetermined a range of options to address all teacher support...
Show moreThis cartoon shows a teacher sitting across from an administrator at his desk. The teacher says, "I have a question about some classroom supports I need." The administrator replies, "To save us time, effort, and expense, I have predetermined a range of options to address all teacher support questions: 1. A full-time parapro, 2. A part-time parapro, 3. No parapro. The tag line under the cartoon reads, "Parapro Supports: An answer, not the answer."
Show less
- Title
- Parole Approach (Cerebral Palsy)
- Date Created
- 1998
- Description
-
This cartoon shows two students with special educational needs depicted as prisoners, behind bars and wearing striped prison uniforms; one of the students is seated in a wheelchair. One student says to the other, "What are you in for?" and the student in the wheelchair says, "Cerebral Palsy. But...
Show moreThis cartoon shows two students with special educational needs depicted as prisoners, behind bars and wearing striped prison uniforms; one of the students is seated in a wheelchair. One student says to the other, "What are you in for?" and the student in the wheelchair says, "Cerebral Palsy. But they said with good behavior I could be out in 3 to 5." The tag line under the cartoon reads, "Parole Approach to School Inclusion." The note on the side indicates, "Inspired by Robert Holland."
Show less
- Title
- Parole Approach (Down syndrome)
- Date Created
- 1998
- Description
-
This cartoon shows two students with special educational needs depicted as prisoners, behind bars and wearing striped prison uniforms. One student says to the other, "What are you in for?" The other student says, "Down syndrome. But they said with good behavior I could be out in 3 to 5." The tag...
Show moreThis cartoon shows two students with special educational needs depicted as prisoners, behind bars and wearing striped prison uniforms. One student says to the other, "What are you in for?" The other student says, "Down syndrome. But they said with good behavior I could be out in 3 to 5." The tag line under the cartoon reads, "Parole Approach to School Inclusion." The note on the side indicates, "Inspired by Robert Holland."
Show less
- Title
- Passing the Buck
- Date Created
- 1998
- Description
-
This cartoon shows a young student with disabilities wearing a deer mask (with antlers) while he is handed from a teacher to a paraprofessional. The tag line under the cartoon reads, "The professional staff resort to using props just so the teacher assistant is clear they are passing the buck."
- Title
- PEACE
- Date Created
- 1999
- Description
-
The cartoon shows two people dressed in shirts that have half a peace signs on them. They are standing with an arm around each others shoulders so that the peace sign is whole. They have flowers in their hair and are showing the peace sign with their free hands. The tag line reads "Purposeful,...
Show moreThe cartoon shows two people dressed in shirts that have half a peace signs on them. They are standing with an arm around each others shoulders so that the peace sign is whole. They have flowers in their hair and are showing the peace sign with their free hands. The tag line reads "Purposeful, Educational Accommodations, Creating, Excellence" the first letter of each word spell out PEACE. The note on the left says, "Inspired by Melanie Giangreco & Amanda Dana"
Show less
- Title
- Pedaling
- Date Created
- 1999
- Description
-
The cartoon shows a man working hard riding a bike. He is holding the brakes on and there is smoke coming from the brake pads. There are two turtles in the foreground of the panel walking a little faster than the bike rider and looking up at him. The tag line reads "Generating and evaluating...
Show moreThe cartoon shows a man working hard riding a bike. He is holding the brakes on and there is smoke coming from the brake pads. There are two turtles in the foreground of the panel walking a little faster than the bike rider and looking up at him. The tag line reads "Generating and evaluating ideas simultaneously is like trying to ride a bike by pedaling with the brakes on."
Show less
- Title
- Peers Resort to Subversive Tactics
- Date Created
- 1998
- Description
-
This cartoon has two panels stacked vertically. The top panel shows three middle grades students seated at a table and talking to each other. The first student says, "Can you believe Harry has to spend all day with grown-ups?" The second student says, "Bummer man." The third student says, "I've...
Show moreThis cartoon has two panels stacked vertically. The top panel shows three middle grades students seated at a table and talking to each other. The first student says, "Can you believe Harry has to spend all day with grown-ups?" The second student says, "Bummer man." The third student says, "I've got an idea. You distract the assistant..." In the lower panel one student waves to an assistant and calls out "Excuse me!" While the assistant's back is turned, the other two students quickly push a visibly happy Harry away while saying, "Let's go Harry!" The tag line reads, "Peers resort to subversive tactics."
Show less
- Title
- Peg's Question
- Date Created
- 1998
- Description
-
This cartoon shows a young girl sitting on her mother's lap in an overstuffed arm chair with a lamp and end table next to it. The child says to her mother, "Mom, there's a boy in my class with disabilities. Weren't there any kids with disabilities where we used to live?" The tag line reads, "Peg...
Show moreThis cartoon shows a young girl sitting on her mother's lap in an overstuffed arm chair with a lamp and end table next to it. The child says to her mother, "Mom, there's a boy in my class with disabilities. Weren't there any kids with disabilities where we used to live?" The tag line reads, "Peg doesn't know that the kids with disabilities in her old district were sent to special education schools." The note on the side indicates, "Inspired by Peg Smith."
Show less
- Title
- Perfect Teaching Assistant
- Date Created
- 1999
- Description
-
The cartoon has an octopus wearing glasses sitting across a desk from Mr. Moody. Mr. Moody says to the Octopus "You are hired you can start today!" The tag line for the cartoon is "After an exhaustive search, Mr. Moody finds the perfect teaching assistant for Mrs. Snippett."
- Title
- Periscope
- Date Created
- 1999
- Description
-
The cartoon shows two panels. In the first panel there is a man sitting in a wheelchair looking at everyone's legs. The second panel shows the man in the wheelchair with a periscope and all the faces and upper parts of the other peoples bodies. The tagline reads "Joe thinks a periscope should...
Show moreThe cartoon shows two panels. In the first panel there is a man sitting in a wheelchair looking at everyone's legs. The second panel shows the man in the wheelchair with a periscope and all the faces and upper parts of the other peoples bodies. The tagline reads "Joe thinks a periscope should come as standard equipment with every wheelchair."
Show less
- Title
- Piece of Cake
- Date Created
- 2000
- Description
-
The cartoon shows two teachers standing to the right side of the panel with their backs to a gigantic piece of layer cake, the size of a three-story building. On the top icing of the cake is written, "Other Duties." The top layer of cake it labeled, "IEP," the icing between the layers is labeled ...
Show moreThe cartoon shows two teachers standing to the right side of the panel with their backs to a gigantic piece of layer cake, the size of a three-story building. On the top icing of the cake is written, "Other Duties." The top layer of cake it labeled, "IEP," the icing between the layers is labeled "Meetings," the middle layer is labeled "504," another layer of icing labeled "Meetings," and the bottom layer labeled "At Risk." One of the teachers is saying to the other, "Don't worry about your caseload this year. It's a piece of cake!" To which the other teacher responds "Thanks!" The tag line reads, "How much cake can one person eat?"
Show less
- Title
- Pinocchio's Cousin
- Date Created
- 1999
- Description
-
The cartoon shows three panels of a man sitting at a desk on the phone with a parent. In the first panel he is saying "I'm sorry, but we don't have any space available for you child with disabilities in our school." The second panel shows the man's nose getting longer and he is saying "Even if we...
Show moreThe cartoon shows three panels of a man sitting at a desk on the phone with a parent. In the first panel he is saying "I'm sorry, but we don't have any space available for you child with disabilities in our school." The second panel shows the man's nose getting longer and he is saying "Even if we did, we can't provide the necessary supports in a regular class." The third panel show his nose even longer and he is saying "We really don't have a choice. All students with severe disabilities have to go to the district's special program." The tag line reads "A distant cousin of Pinocchio discovers he has inherited one of his families recessive traits."
Show less
- Title
- Placement Matters
- Date Created
- 1999
- Description
-
The cartoon shows a car driving away with a bird nest on the tire and the bird flapping her wings and trying to fly away. The tag line reads "Examples from nature remind us that placement really does matter." A note on the left says, "Inspired by a robin in my yard."
- 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
- Poultry Puns
- Date Created
- 1999
- Description
-
The cartoon shows a teacher in front of a class full of students. The students all have their hands up and they are all saying, "I'm done!" the teacher responds with, "Turkeys are 'done' people are 'finished!' Based on you work, I should give you all 'Goose eggs!' But since I'm 'Mr. Eggstra-nice...
Show moreThe cartoon shows a teacher in front of a class full of students. The students all have their hands up and they are all saying, "I'm done!" the teacher responds with, "Turkeys are 'done' people are 'finished!' Based on you work, I should give you all 'Goose eggs!' But since I'm 'Mr. Eggstra-nice-guy,' I'll let you do it over!" the tag line reads, "What happens when teachers become obsessed with poultry puns."
Show less