Adaptive Techniques is a specialized course that focuses on raising awareness about various diver skills and analyzing adaptive teaching techniques that can be used to train and dive with physically and mentally difficult divers. If you are a PADI professional, Divemaster, Assistant Instructor or Instructor of any federation and have completed the EFF course and want to be more aware of individual aspects when working with people who have physical or mental challenges, this training is just for you. PADI specialists have a long and successful history of working with disabled divers. PADI’s approach to diving education is (and always has been) open: Everyone who meets the conditions for entering the course is welcome and does not matter if you have any disability. The PADI Adaptive Techniques course is based on this foundation, by improving the training received by PADI and preparing them for a student-centered approach when adapting techniques to the needs of divers. Diving instructors, regardless of the federation in which they train, have developed their routine in relation to fully functional people. When a person with a disability enrolls in the course, they cannot be surprised that the standard approach does not pass the exam and they need to adapt their teaching techniques to the individual capabilities of the student. This training is to teach them this, increase their awareness of restrictions and show that every diver candidate can do the mandatory exercises in their own way.

The course consists of a theoretical session during which you will learn different types of disabilities and techniques for working with students. You will learn how to talk to students, build relationships and understand their physical and mental limitations. You will learn how to help and teach your students basic diving skills to meet the requirements of basic training. You will learn to choose equipment individually for the student, you will be able to precisely plan the training in logistics and you will learn the terminology to talk to him in partnership.

During the course we use standard equipment in which we swim and train. The classic configuration is as simple as possible. If you use the equipment you prefer, tailored to your needs or individual preferences (long hoses, wings, boards with bags, etc. …) already in the pool classes you will find that it was not the best idea.

The training includes two pool sessions that focus on transfers, water entrances and exits, assistants and communication, as well as showing, adapting and practicing skills based on the skills and limitations of the student. Exercises focus on assessing accessibility, organizing dives and adjusting skills to an open aquatic environment. During the class you will simulate various disabilities to “enter the skin” of a disabled person. When training people with physical and mental challenges, you will learn to focus on what they can and not on what they cannot.

Classes in open waters are conducting training dives, logistics, preparation and organization. You will learn how to proceed from the moment you arrive at the dive site until you leave it. You will simulate various disabilities and work with other students who, like you, will simulate a lack of vision, hearing, para- and tetraplegia.