Individuals with disabilities have learned through a variety of programs, events and activities that the dream of underwater exploration is a possibility through the use of adaptive scuba diving. The goal of adaptive scuba diving is to aid people with disabilities, ranging from blindness to paraplegia, in getting their feet wet for the first time, according to Bill Hutto, president of the Arkansas Disabled Scuba Association.
People often feel that their options have thinned out with the onset of a disability.
We try to teach those people that they can dive, they can live an active lifestyle and there is nothing stopping them from achieving their goals. Certification through H.S.A. gives divers with the most extreme disabilities the chance to explore the deep blue sea. Someone who is paraplegic can dive with the assistance of one rescue diver and one certified diver. A quadriplegic individual can participate in an open dive with the aid of one rescue diver and one instructor. In addition, there are a variety of equipment specifications that can aid adaptive scuba divers.