WS WC 6 Develop National Minimum Standards for Adaptive Aquatics Instructor Training and Certification
Develop and implement national minimum standards for adaptive aquatics learn-to-swim instructor training and certification.
Spectrum level: Changing Organizational Practices Influencing Policy and Legislation
Evidence level: Medium
Implementation levels: National
Rationale:
Educating and training instructors to established minimum standards can help them improve the water competency of those with disabilities.
Anticipated Impact:
Instructors have knowledge, skills, and abilities to teach and coach individuals with disabilities.
Evidence Sources:
Conatser, James, and Karabulut, (2018) Adapted Aquatics for Children with Severe Motor Impairments, International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education: Vol. 10 : No. 3 , Article 5. DOI: 10.25035/ijare.10.03.05
Lepore and Rawlins survey of adapted credentials among swim instructors October 2023.
Lepore and Wesley (2021) Best Practices in Adapted Aquatics for Instructors and Coaches. Diversity in Aquatics, Virtual Convention - Adapted Aquatics Council- Thursday February 18, 2021 1:30-3pm EST
Griesbach, Anna (2023). Swim Instructor Education for Adaptive and Inclusive Swimming. Capstone Projects. https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/capstone_projects/39
Jull (2012). Staff trainings for community swimming instructors: Supporting children with Autism in local recreation settings. https://open.library.ubc.ca/media/stream/pdf/24/1.0072984/1
Additional resources include:
Starfish Aquatics Institute Adapted Aquatics Instructor credentials https://adaptedaquatics.carrd.co/
Nicklaus Children’s Hospital Marino Adapted Aquatics Certification https://www.nicklauschildrens.org/locations/outpatient-centers/dan-marino-outpatient-center/nicklaus-childrens-hospital-marino-adapted-aquatic
National Center on Health, Physical Activity and Disability (NCHPAD): Teaching Adapted Aquatics https://www.nchpad.org/273/1730/Teaching~Adapted~Aquatics
Nurturing Water Therapies: Online Adaptive Swim Instructor Certification https://www.nurturingwatertherapies.org/product/full-online-adaptive-swim-instructor-certification-course/
BlazeSports: Adaptive Swim Certification https://blazesports.org/training/adaptive-swim-certification/
New York City Department of Parks & Recreation: Adaptive Swim Program for People with Disabilities https://www.nycgovparks.org/events/adaptive-aquatics
SwimLabs: Everything you need to know about adaptive aquatics https://www.swimlabs.com/blog/everything-you-need-to-know-about-adaptive-aquatics
Adaptive Swim, Greater Austin YMCA https://www.austinymca.org/swimming/adaptive/
Safe Splash Swim School: Lessons for Children with Special Abilities https://www.safesplash.com/special-needs-swimming-lessons
National Recreation and Park Association: Essential framework for adaptive aquatics https://www.nrpa.org/parks-recreation-magazine/2017/october/essential-framework-for-adaptive-aquatics/
Swim Angel Fish: Adaptive Swim Whisperers ® Certification https://swimangelfish.com/get-certified-swim-whisperers-adaptive-aquatics-program/
How to Fine-Tune an Adapted Aquatics Program, Phillip Conatser, PHE America, 2017 https://www.pheamerica.org/2017/how-to-fine-tune-an-adapted-aquatics-program/
Adapted Aquatics & Rehabilitation: A Literature Synthesis, Phillip Conatser, IJARE Vol 1 No 3 Art 7, 2007 https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/234759509.pdf
Chapter 9: Aquatics for People with Disabilities or Health Conditions, Swimming and Water Safety, American Red Cross, 2014
Adapted Aquatics Programming: A Professional Guide by Lepore, Gayle, and Stevens, Human Kinetics, 2nd Edition, 2007
High Risk Populations Addressed:
Individuals with disabilities
Evaluation Metrics:
Indicators of initial impact:
- Formation of coalition of groups actively involved in current adaptative aquatics education to assess state of the art, including best practices and shortcomings.
Indicators of intermediate impact:
- Determine appropriate standards for instructor training and program curriculums and potential need for different certifications for different audiences.
Indicators of long-term impact:
- Adoption of national standards.
- Widespread access to instructor training and programs.
Implementation:
Consider the following to ensure successful implementation:
- Need to establish whether there is an agency whose ownership of the discipline is acceptable to all, or if there is a need for different certifications for different conditions.
Challenges to Implementation:
One size may not fit all. Need to determine what training is appropriate for what level of instructor, for example, what is applicable for swim instructors versus physical therapists and how proposed standards accommodate audiences of different disabilities and needs.
Potential Facilitators:
Agencies that focus on people with particular disabilities.