snorkelcorey:
Hi, every Body. I hope some one will resopond to these two questions I have Divers who slight learning disabilities, but still want to dive. My question is this, can some who has a slight learning disability, but they still want to dive, would it take that person longer to learn how to dive, than it would some one doesn't have a slight disability? And how long would it take for that person to learn how to dive? And does it depend on the disability, that person has? I'm wondering because I want to take up scuba, but I get distracted, some times. But I'm determined to dive, despite of my short attention span. Thank you for your time and effort, in answering. Corey
Hi Corey
I'm a counselor for an adult Education course and I deal with students with Learning Disabilities (LDs) all the time, the majority of them are very capable of learning all the material required for them to pass the courses. BUT as you you pointed out HOW long is the better question. There are a # of factors to consider first; Severity of the LD, motivation and dedication of the student, size of the class and length, competency of the INS, and in some cases patience of the INS. These will all play a major role in determining how long it will take.
It is very dependent upon the individual, if they have a severe LD then it may take them a significant amount of time to absorb all the required skills and info. In some cases of a Very Severe LD (autism or down syndrome for example) it may not be possible to certify. If the student has a somewhat milder LD then their time can be much shorter or even right on schedule with the rest of the class (other factors aside of course). To put it simply if you can independentaly take care of yourself without assistance or guidance from any type of caregiver then you can be certified. The material is NOT brain surgery BUT it is LIFE SUPPORT so if you trust the person to take care of themselves on a daily basis without any supervision then they should be OK to get certified. Also as I stated earlier the amount of dedication and persistence will play a BIG role in determining how long, the more the better.
The next factor will be class size and duration, it has been my experience that LD students do much better in SMALLER classes with more one on one instruction time. Larger classes are more distracting, and there is usually less time for good one on one student teacher interaction; Both of which can make or break a students confidence and therefore their ability to learn. The duration of the class also plays a part, the longer the better. So I would suggest a LD student to speak to the Ins and dive shop and find a class that is not too large (6-8 other students TOPS smaller the better) and runs for a few weeks at least, no 1 or 2 weekends and you are certified type of class (the longer the better). Some shops may even let you sit in on 2 classes or allow you to use the pool with a DM or higher supervising. Ask around find a program that will meet your/their needs don't just settle for the fist one you find, find the best one for you. Remember it is you and your buddies life on the line.
The final factor is the Instructor, aside from the individual the Ins is probably the most influential component in the training. A student with an LD needs an Ins who knows how to deal with the sometimes special needs of these students. Most probably do not have any special training on how to deal with special needs students BUT that does NOT mean they can not be a great Ins for an LD student. What you need to look for in an Ins is someone who you can communicate with openly, so you can inform him/her of your condition and what your needs may be. Most of the time (I'd say 75% or higher) the student just needs more time to absorb the info and some extra time to practice it. It has been my observation that LD students pick up the physical skills quicker than the mental or memory component, due to the actual act of performing the act physically rather than trying to commit some fact to memory (not only do they see it demonstrtated they then do it themselves and this reinforces the learning). Also you want an Ins who is PATIENT!!!! Someone who is willing to demonstrate something more than once and is willing to WAIT for the student to be ready to move on to the next skill and not just breeze through the cirrculum.
SO if you an find a shop and Ins who you are comfortable with and is willing to work with you and your LD then I say GO FOR IT!!!!!!! It is definatley doable.
PS I have a physical disability, Muscular Dystrophy, and can not do alot of the Physical lifting or even going up stairs/ladders and such and I have been certified for almost 3 years now, if you have the will you can find a way.
Good Luck
WAC
