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
- Job Coach
- Date Created
- 1999
- Description
-
The cartoon shows four people in a fast food restaurant. Two of the people, a young man and a job coach, are standing inside of a bright yellow field of light. And two men are standing just outside the field of light. The tag line reads, "Tim notices a mysterious force-field around his job coach...
Show moreThe cartoon shows four people in a fast food restaurant. Two of the people, a young man and a job coach, are standing inside of a bright yellow field of light. And two men are standing just outside the field of light. The tag line reads, "Tim notices a mysterious force-field around his job coach that co-workers cannot penetrate."
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- Title
- Lead Balloons
- Date Created
- 1999
- Description
-
The cartoon shows a woman standing with her hands on her hips looking worried. There are a lot of balloons floating up into the air and four just sitting there in front of her. The one on the far left is blue and says "More Paperwork," the next one is green and says "Too Many Adults," the next...
Show moreThe cartoon shows a woman standing with her hands on her hips looking worried. There are a lot of balloons floating up into the air and four just sitting there in front of her. The one on the far left is blue and says "More Paperwork," the next one is green and says "Too Many Adults," the next one is red and says "More Meetings," the next one is pink and says "Bigger Caseloads." The tag line reads "The Lead Balloons of Special Education."
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- Title
- Learning the Ropes
- Date Created
- 1999
- Description
-
The cartoon shows a woman and child both are tangled up in ropes. The woman looks confused and the child looks angry. Tag line for the cartoon is "What can happen when Paraprofessional are left to learn the ropes without appropriate training and supervision."
- Title
- Let's Play Due Process
- Date Created
- 1999
- Description
-
The cartoon shows three people in the front of the frame in shadow listening to a man standing behind a podium. There is a sign on the wall behind the man at the podium that reads "Let's Play Due Process!" The man at the podium says "OK teams, let's review the rules..." The tag line reads "DUE...
Show moreThe cartoon shows three people in the front of the frame in shadow listening to a man standing behind a podium. There is a sign on the wall behind the man at the podium that reads "Let's Play Due Process!" The man at the podium says "OK teams, let's review the rules..." The tag line reads "DUE PROCESS the game where everybody gets a turn, nobody has fun, and, even if you win, you feel like you've lost!"
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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
- 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
- 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
- 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 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
- Molehills
- Date Created
- 1999
- Description
-
The cartoon shows three panels. In the first panel there is a man on the phone saying, "This morning there was a huge traffic Jam." In his thought bubble you see a four way stop with two other cars. In the second panel he is saying into the phone "Then I saw Jeff. He's put on so much weight!" In...
Show moreThe cartoon shows three panels. In the first panel there is a man on the phone saying, "This morning there was a huge traffic Jam." In his thought bubble you see a four way stop with two other cars. In the second panel he is saying into the phone "Then I saw Jeff. He's put on so much weight!" In his thought bubble you now see Jeff just an ordinary guy average size. In the third panel he is saying into the phone "Did I tell you I have a student with a disability who is sooo much work. He really stands out!" In his thought bubble you see four students quietly doing their work. The tag line reads "Harry continues his efforts to gain admittance to the local 'Mountain Out of a Molehill' society."
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- Title
- Mr. IEP
- Date Created
- 1999
- Description
-
The cartoon shows a coffee maker and instructions how to make an IEP with it. The cartoon says "Introducing…Mr. IEP 1. Insert student needs packet (shows putting coffee filter into the coffee maker) 2. Pour in 8 cups of possible IEP goals (shows water pouring into the back of the coffee maker) 3....
Show moreThe cartoon shows a coffee maker and instructions how to make an IEP with it. The cartoon says "Introducing…Mr. IEP 1. Insert student needs packet (shows putting coffee filter into the coffee maker) 2. Pour in 8 cups of possible IEP goals (shows water pouring into the back of the coffee maker) 3. Turn On Mr. IEP (shows where to turn on the coffee maker) Enjoy perfect IEPs every time!" The tag line reads "Special educators invent misguided automated approaches."
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- Title
- Multiple Personalities
- Date Created
- 1999
- Description
-
The cartoon shows two panels stacked vertically. The top panel shows a man sitting in a chair across from a psychotherapist holding a clipboard. The psychotherapist says "When you count to 3, you vil vake up and remember nothing from hypnosis..1..2..3." In the lower panel it shows the man wake up...
Show moreThe cartoon shows two panels stacked vertically. The top panel shows a man sitting in a chair across from a psychotherapist holding a clipboard. The psychotherapist says "When you count to 3, you vil vake up and remember nothing from hypnosis..1..2..3." In the lower panel it shows the man wake up and he says, "What happened?" The psychotherapist says, "Ed, you have at least 5 personalities, Early Ed, Special Ed, Vocational Ed, Bilingual Ed, and Regular Ed. Resulting in internal conflict." the tag line reads "Ed is diagnosed with multiple personality disorder."
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- Title
- New Disability Categories
- Date Created
- 1999
- Description
-
The cartoon shows four people in the panel. On the left of the panel is a height measure from 1 to 6 feet. The first person the right of the height measure is a dark skinned woman holding two packages with bags full of packages at her feet. Above her head it says "Chronic Shopping Syndrome." To...
Show moreThe cartoon shows four people in the panel. On the left of the panel is a height measure from 1 to 6 feet. The first person the right of the height measure is a dark skinned woman holding two packages with bags full of packages at her feet. Above her head it says "Chronic Shopping Syndrome." To her right is a very tall bald man above his head it says "Follically Impaired." To the right of him is a very small woman above her head it says "Vertically Challenged." To the right of her is a medium height man with long blond hair above him it says "Color Blind." The tag line reads "Congress authorizes the addition of four new disability categories to the Americans with Disabilities Act."
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- Title
- Oasis
- Date Created
- 1999
- Description
-
The cartoon shows a hand holding the door open to a public bathroom. Under the bathroom stall are legs with pants down. The person holding the door says "Mr. Moody, are you OK? You've been in there for an hour!" Mr. Moody responds, "You can't make me come out! Can you have my lunch sent in here?"...
Show moreThe cartoon shows a hand holding the door open to a public bathroom. Under the bathroom stall are legs with pants down. The person holding the door says "Mr. Moody, are you OK? You've been in there for an hour!" Mr. Moody responds, "You can't make me come out! Can you have my lunch sent in here?" The tag line reads "After a stressful morning, Principal Moody is reluctant to relinquish the only oasis of peace and solitude he can find."
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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
- Oops!
- Date Created
- 1999
- Description
-
The cartoon shows two men on a sidewalk one in a wheelchair and one behind the wheelchair holding the handles no longer attached to the back of the wheelchair. As the wheelchair speeds away the man in the chair has his hands up in the air and a frightened look on his face. The man behind the...
Show moreThe cartoon shows two men on a sidewalk one in a wheelchair and one behind the wheelchair holding the handles no longer attached to the back of the wheelchair. As the wheelchair speeds away the man in the chair has his hands up in the air and a frightened look on his face. The man behind the wheelchair has a huge eyes and says "Oops!" The tag line reads "Harold regrets not attending the in-service on wheelchair safety."
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