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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- Title
- Always Behind Us
- Date Created
- 1998
- Description
-
This cartoon shows a class of students in a group ahead in the distance walking together on a sidewalk. Far behind them is a student in a wheelchair being pushed by an adult. One of the students in the group asks a classmate, "Why is George always behind us whenever we go places?" The tag line...
Show moreThis cartoon shows a class of students in a group ahead in the distance walking together on a sidewalk. Far behind them is a student in a wheelchair being pushed by an adult. One of the students in the group asks a classmate, "Why is George always behind us whenever we go places?" The tag line under the cartoon reads, Second grade students ponder one of the great mysteries of Hillview School."
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- Title
- Atlas
- Date Created
- 2007
- Description
-
This cartoon shows a female paraprofessional in the classic Atlas pose, straining with great effort and strength to carry the world on her shoulders. On top of the world are 15 images of students meant to represent the range of diversity of students supported by paraprofessionals. The tag line...
Show moreThis cartoon shows a female paraprofessional in the classic Atlas pose, straining with great effort and strength to carry the world on her shoulders. On top of the world are 15 images of students meant to represent the range of diversity of students supported by paraprofessionals. The tag line under the cartoon reads, "Can quality inclusive education be supported on the backs of paraprofessionals?"
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- Title
- Burning Questions
- Date Created
- 1998
- Description
-
This cartoon shows a paraprofessional looking distraught while holding some papers that are on fire and creating smoke. The tag line under the cartoon reads, "Unfortunately, the teacher assistant's burning questions kept spontaneously combusting before they could be answered."
- Title
- Crocodile
- Date Created
- 2007
- Description
-
This cartoon shows two people, one being a paraprofessional and the other a colleague, walking down a stone-lined path toward the water's edge. As they approach the water the white stones lining the path turn into teeth and the path turns into a tongue as the two walk into a wide open mouth of a...
Show moreThis cartoon shows two people, one being a paraprofessional and the other a colleague, walking down a stone-lined path toward the water's edge. As they approach the water the white stones lining the path turn into teeth and the path turns into a tongue as the two walk into a wide open mouth of a giant crocodile. The paraprofessional, with trepidation on her face says, "After such a brief training, am I really ready?" Her colleague assures her, "No worries. You've just completed our basic parapro training -- you're good to go!" The tag line under the cartoon reads, "Beware of the training trap, you could be eaten alive!"
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- Title
- Escape Attempts
- Date Created
- 1998
- Description
-
This cartoon shows a teacher at the chalkboard in front of a full class at individual desks arranged in U. The teacher says, "Class... Today we will continue our unit on the rain forest." A student with a disability and his one-to-one paraprofessional, who is standing immediately behind him, are...
Show moreThis cartoon shows a teacher at the chalkboard in front of a full class at individual desks arranged in U. The teacher says, "Class... Today we will continue our unit on the rain forest." A student with a disability and his one-to-one paraprofessional, who is standing immediately behind him, are positioned just a couple steps from the door to the hallway. The tag line under the cartoon reads, "Fred's instructional assistant makes sure she and Fred are positioned close to an exit to make any escape attempts less conspicuous."
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- Title
- Force Field
- Date Created
- 1998
- Description
-
This cartoon shows a student in a wheelchair with his one-to-one paraprofessional pushing him in his wheelchair. They surrounded by a nearly invisible force field. The student's classmates can't see the force field and bump into it as they try to approach him. The tag line under the cartoon reads...
Show moreThis cartoon shows a student in a wheelchair with his one-to-one paraprofessional pushing him in his wheelchair. They surrounded by a nearly invisible force field. The student's classmates can't see the force field and bump into it as they try to approach him. The tag line under the cartoon reads, "Joey noticed a mysterious force field around his assistant that children could not break through."
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- Title
- I don't feel prepared
- Date Created
- 1998
- Description
-
This cartoon shows a school principal seated at his desk with a teacher sitting across from him in the foreground. The teacher says, "… so I don't feel prepared to teach a child with disabilities." The tag line under the cartoon reads, "Despite having a master's degree and 18 years of experience,...
Show moreThis cartoon shows a school principal seated at his desk with a teacher sitting across from him in the foreground. The teacher says, "… so I don't feel prepared to teach a child with disabilities." The tag line under the cartoon reads, "Despite having a master's degree and 18 years of experience, Mrs. Snippett tries to convince Mr. Moody that the student with disabilities in her class would be better served by an assistant with no experience."
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- Title
- I Needed… They Gave Me...
- Date Created
- 1998
- Description
-
This cartoon shows a person with hands together praying. In a thought bubble the person is thinking, "I needed moral support and they gave me an article to read. I needed an extra pair of hands and they gave a specialist once a month. I needed someone to demonstrate a method and told me I was...
Show moreThis cartoon shows a person with hands together praying. In a thought bubble the person is thinking, "I needed moral support and they gave me an article to read. I needed an extra pair of hands and they gave a specialist once a month. I needed someone to demonstrate a method and told me I was doing a great job. I needed some information and they gave me an instructional assistant." The tag line under the cartoon reads, "Match supports to needs continues to be an elusive experience for Harry."
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- Title
- I thought Pat was a boy
- Date Created
- 1998
- Description
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This cartoon has two panels stacked vertically. In the top panel a physical education teachers says to the class, "Boys, 50 crunches! Girls, 5 laps!! Let's go!" The second panel shows the girls running are led by a female paraprofessional pushing a student in his wheelchair. One of the girls says...
Show moreThis cartoon has two panels stacked vertically. In the top panel a physical education teachers says to the class, "Boys, 50 crunches! Girls, 5 laps!! Let's go!" The second panel shows the girls running are led by a female paraprofessional pushing a student in his wheelchair. One of the girls says, "I thought Pat was a boy!?" and another girls says, "He is!!" The tag line under the cartoon reads, "The instructional assistant assigned to Pat experiences ongoing gender confusion."
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- Title
- Learning Not to Make a Move
- Date Created
- 1998
- Description
-
This cartoon has four panels arranged in a square pattern. The images each show a student with a plate of food and utensils in front of him and a paraprofessional next to him. In the top left corner the paraprofessional says, "Pick up the spoon." The upper right panel shows the student with the...
Show moreThis cartoon has four panels arranged in a square pattern. The images each show a student with a plate of food and utensils in front of him and a paraprofessional next to him. In the top left corner the paraprofessional says, "Pick up the spoon." The upper right panel shows the student with the spoon in his hand and the paraprofessional says, "Scoop the food." In the lower left panel the student has scooped the food and the paraprofessional says, "Now raise the spoon..." In the lower right panel as student has raised the spoon partially, the paraprofessional says, "To the mouth." The tag line under the cartoon reads, "Rodney learns not to make a move until he is told."
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- Title
- Learning the Ropes
- Date Created
- 1999
- Description
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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 me help you with that!
- Date Created
- 1998
- Description
-
This cartoon shows a paraprofessional and student seated together at a table with no other students. The paraprofessional is happily working on a class project cutting materials with scissors as she says, Let me help you with that!" The student, with a disappointed look on her face and none of...
Show moreThis cartoon shows a paraprofessional and student seated together at a table with no other students. The paraprofessional is happily working on a class project cutting materials with scissors as she says, Let me help you with that!" The student, with a disappointed look on her face and none of the materials available to her says, "But when do I get a turn?" The tag line under the cartoon reads, "After only two months as a teacher assistant, Gladys finds her spelling has improved, math skills are honed, and she has discovered she has artistic ability."
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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
- Mrs. Brown keeps her name.
- Date Created
- 1998
- Description
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This cartoon shows a group of school personnel seated at a table facing a chalkboard where another person is standing and pointing to the board. On the board are written several different names used to refer to paraprofessionals such as Teacher's Helper, Teacher's Aide, Teacher's Assistant,...
Show moreThis cartoon shows a group of school personnel seated at a table facing a chalkboard where another person is standing and pointing to the board. On the board are written several different names used to refer to paraprofessionals such as Teacher's Helper, Teacher's Aide, Teacher's Assistant, Individual Support Person, Paraeducator, Jill of All Trades, Ed-entered Servant, and others that are partially obscured -- all of the names have been crossed out with chalk line through each of them. Only one name is not crossed out, Mrs. Brown. The tag line under the cartoon reads, "After a grueling meeting, the staff decides to let Mrs. Brown keep her name."
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- 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
- 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
- The Shadow
- Date Created
- 1999
- Description
-
The cartoon shows two children walking down a sidewalk in a neighborhood. There are two houses coming up to their left at the end of a split rail fence. There is a street drain on the right with a small puddle and a large shadow of a person behind the children. One child says to the other, "I...
Show moreThe cartoon shows two children walking down a sidewalk in a neighborhood. There are two houses coming up to their left at the end of a split rail fence. There is a street drain on the right with a small puddle and a large shadow of a person behind the children. One child says to the other, "I feel like I am being followed." The other child says, "You're just being paranoid." The tag line reads "The Shadow Knows: Rodney's suspicions were accurate. Unbeknownst to him, a paraprofessional had been assigned to be his shadow."
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- Title
- Skyrocket
- Date Created
- 2007
- Description
-
This cartoon shows two people outside looking up at a star-filled night sky as they see something bright streaking up and across it. One person points to it and asks, "What's that?" The other person calmly says, "Oh, that's skyrocketing use of special education paraprofessionals." The tag line...
Show moreThis cartoon shows two people outside looking up at a star-filled night sky as they see something bright streaking up and across it. One person points to it and asks, "What's that?" The other person calmly says, "Oh, that's skyrocketing use of special education paraprofessionals." The tag line under the cartoon reads, "Out of Sight!"
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- Title
- Theory of Relativity
- Date Created
- 2010-2013
- Description
-
This cartoon has four panels arranged in a square pattern. Each square is labeled for a different School (A, B, C & D) and shows a different person speaking for each school. In the middle of the cartoon (where the interior corners of the squares meet) is a small rectangle overlapping a bit on to...
Show moreThis cartoon has four panels arranged in a square pattern. Each square is labeled for a different School (A, B, C & D) and shows a different person speaking for each school. In the middle of the cartoon (where the interior corners of the squares meet) is a small rectangle overlapping a bit on to all four squares that says, "Ratio of parapros to students with disabilities." In School A the ratio of parapros is 1:2, in School B it is 1:4, in School C it is 1:6, and School D it is 1:10. Despite the different ratios, the different people associated with each school all say the exact same thing (that is repeated in each of the four squares), "We are just getting by with the parapro resources we have. We couldn't possibly function with any less." The tag line under the cartoon. reads, "The Other Theory of Relativity."
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- Title
- Unintended Distractions
- Date Created
- 1998
- Description
-
This cartoons shows a full class being taught in a large group by the teacher, except for one student with a disability who is working in a one-to-one format with a paraprofessional in the back of the large group, facing away from the teacher. Some students in the teacher's large group who are...
Show moreThis cartoons shows a full class being taught in a large group by the teacher, except for one student with a disability who is working in a one-to-one format with a paraprofessional in the back of the large group, facing away from the teacher. Some students in the teacher's large group who are closest to the paraprofessional and student with a disability turn toward them. The tag line under the cartoon reads, "Unintended Distractions."
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