The International Association for Handicapped Divers (IAHD) and the International Association for Handicapped Divers - Americas (IAHD - Americas) are two closely related organizations specializing in training and certifying instructors to work with, train, and certify divers with a variety of disabilities.

History of the IAHD

The IAHD was founded in Denmark in 1992. From its inception, the organization grew and established training centers around the world, spreading from Europe to Asia, the Middle East, and the Americas.

In 2009 the IAHD - Americas decided to split from the IAHD and form an entirely separate group in order to offer training to disabled divers completely free of charge and to be able to respond more easily to the needs of divers and dive professionals operating in North and South America. Other than IAHD - Americas’ insistence that their divers be trained free of charge, the training standards and procedures of these two organizations remain similar.

Both are committed to providing quality dive training to people with a variety of disabling conditions, including but not limited to;amputation, emotional and social disabilities, autism, movement disorders, birth defects, spinal cord injuries, blindness, and paralysis due to stroke. Both emphasize the physical fitness benefits that the divers will experience as well as the benefits of travel, meeting new people, and the pride associated with testing oneself in a cooperative yet challenging environment.

Training With the International Association of Handicapped Divers

The IAHD and IAHD-Americas offers training for scuba instructors and dive buddies who would like to work with divers with disabilites, as well as offering scuba training to those with disabilites.

 

1. Dive Instructor Training With IAHD

To become IAHD or IAHD-Americas dive instructors, a candidate must be currently certified to a minimum level of open water scuba instructor by another dive organization such as NAUI or PADI. Potential instructors build on their previous training by participating in the IAHD or IAHD - Americas program.

The first step is a two day course that includes theory, and closely supervised, confined water pool sessions. In the pool, potential adaptive scuba diving instructors explore techniques for guiding divers with disabilities while learning to meet IAHD requirements exclusively for confined water. The final training session is an open water dive that repeats the techniques taught in the pool but now employs them in the more challenging open water environment. Throughout the training, potential instructors role play as divers with disabilities through a series of simulations.

2. Dive Partner Training With IAHD

 In order to become an IAHD or IAHD - Americas dive partner, a candidate must  already be certified as a rescue diver. Training includes learning about a variety of disabling conditions and their physiological effects as they relate to diving. Dive partners also learn a bit about assistive devices (apadtive scuba gear) that people with disabilities can use while diving, and other adaptive strategies, such as how to signal to blind divers while underwater.

3. Scuba Diver Training With IAHD

 The IAHD and IAHD - Americas both believe in tailoring instruction to meet the needs of each individual diver. To that end, they both offer a wide variety of experiences. Starting from snorkel diver (a course completed with out tanks or other scuba equipment to allow the diver a glimpse of the undersea world alongside a knowledgeable instructor) and extending all the way to advanced open water courses such as enriched air  (nitrox) diver, night diver and underwater navigator.

Most IAHD and IAHD - Americas divers start with a discovery dive, a one-day introductor dive experience. If the participant likes diving, he or she may go on to be certified as a confined water diver or as an open water scuba diver. The theory and swimming pool skills are identical for both of these levels of certification. The difference lies in where the diver may dive after he or she has completed the program. The confined water diver never leaves confined water. Divers with this certification may only dive in confined water such as a swimming pool. Divers certified as open water divers undergo additional training in open water. Upon successfully completing this training, they are certified to participate in open water diving. IAHD and IAHD - Americas divers must be certified as open water divers before they can participate in more advanced courses.

Scuba Diver Certification With IAHD

IAHD and IAHD - Americas certify divers using a three tiered system.

• Level 1: divers can independently meet all requirements but will ideally only dive with an IAHD trained dive partner.

• Level 2: divers are not able to meet all of the certification criteria without assistance. They must dive with two buddies, at least one of whom is an IAHD trained dive pro or dive partner.

• Level 3: divers need significant assistance while diving. They must dive with three buddies, and at least one of the buddies must be an IAHD dive pro.

Featured IAHD-Americas Dive Center

Utila Dive Center, Bay Islands, Honduras

Available training:

Utila Dive Center has three years of experience training and certifying instructors, dive partners, and divers with disabilities through the IAHD-Americas.

What Is There to See in Utila?

Open water dives at Utila Dive Center take place on the local fringing reef system populated with Caribbean marine life. Divers are likely to see creatures such as sea turtles, eagle rays and many of the 20 Common Reef Fish of the Caribbean. The water in Utila is crystal clear and warm,  boasting 40 to 100 feet visibility and water temperatures between 82° F to 88° F.

Message From IAHD-Americas

“This training is a great compliment for all instructors and even if they are not working with students who have obvious disabilities it will help them with their teaching technique as it makes them think outside the box and more creative.”

- Andy Phillips, Director of Professional Training, Utila Dive Center

More: View more IAHD Dive Centers here. 

 

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