The dive shop I work for are going to be hosting a Dive Heart organised even at some point this year and I had a question or two. As you may know, Dive Heart provide HSA courses.
What I wondered was whether any of the 'regular' dive certifying agencies had any explicit standards/protocols/procedures with regards to conducting try dives and/or courses with disabled individuals?
I did a quick search and found the following from NAUI:
What I wondered was whether any of the 'regular' dive certifying agencies had any explicit standards/protocols/procedures with regards to conducting try dives and/or courses with disabled individuals?
I did a quick search and found the following from NAUI:
Does anyone have any information with regards PADI/SSI/BSAC or any others?Q: What are NAUI's policies regarding Scuba Diving and the disabled?
A: The answer to this question may be found in the following excerpt from our Second Quarter, 1997 issue of Sources.
NAUI Guidelines for Evaluating Individuals with Disabilities
NAUI seeks to be in compliance with the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA). The screening of applicants for diver training is explained in detail in the NAUI Risk Management Handbook. The following statement only applies to individuals with disability(ies) seeking diver training or diving supervision.
Prerequisites for Admission to Training/Supervision
In addition to regular screening for medical contraindications, NAUI Instructors and Divemasters must complete a risk assessment considering the individual nature of the disability(ies) as it pertains to a probably direct threat to others. If there is none and reasonable accommodations can be made for the individual, then the disability cannot be a basis for not admitting the person for training/supervision. All possible reasonable accommodations should be made to train those individuals with disabilities.
Certification
Only those individuals who meet the NAUI Standards requirements for a particular certification shall be certified. These requirements are in place for reasonable and necessary means and are not to be altered.
Adaptive Scuba Diver Program
If an individual's disabilities preclude that person from successfully completing any skill required for certification, he/she may be credentialed under NAUI's "Adaptive Scuba Diver Program."