One of the best basic manuals is not published by any agency. Dennis Graver's Scuba Diving is going into it's 5th edition. I use the 4th for Open Water classes. It's also appropriate for further training as a foundation for some specialties and advanced level training.
I wrote the new SDI Drysuit course materials and those have been very well received. Just got a compliment on it passed along on them by Brian Carney that he was given on them when he was in China last week.
The SDI/TDI Sidemount materials are good as well. I didn't write them. Did edit and contribute to them though. As Andy said though SM is really about the instructor. The manuals are foundations that the instructor needs to build on. One big reason is that unless you have access to most models, tanks, and environments it will be used in, it is going to be pretty much specialized. Though the instructor should be familiar with most and not set on one specific rig as a do all.
The ERDI Full Face course was redone and that is another one I was fortunate enough to be asked to help with.
As long as ITI continues to use me I will do my best to make sure the content is good, well written, treats divers as intelligent adults, and doesn't talk down to people.
Based on recent conversations I've had it's looks I'll be doing more work for them, possibly another book or course, once my own second book is published. That should be around November 1st.
