A. Survey data may be collected by:

1. Number of program participants identified through:

a. health agencies and/or districts
b. school districts including local, regional, and state organizations
c. Child Find programs
d. service agencies including developmental centers, parks and recreation departments, public assistance, etc.
e. associations and special interest groups

2. Newspaper, radio and/or television

a. informational articles/spots
b. special advertisements

B. Organization of data should address:

1. The number of participants will have a direct bearing on the kind of program:

a. according to special ability
b. according to ability as well as chronological age

2. The various kinds of classes that maybe organized include:

a. Classes for instruction, recreation, therapy, leisure education and competition
b. classes in schools, hospitals, or institution agencies (public and private) and other
When need is ascertained, develop one program at a time; then expand as appropriate to include others.

II. SPONSORING GROUP (OR COUNCIL)
In order to secure a broad base of community support, it is helpful to have a sponsoring (advisory) council which includes clients, persons knowledgeable about the various kinds of impairments which might be dealt with, and representatives of groups who might be dealing with potential clients (participants). As part of this group, consideration should be given to developing subcommittees related to public relations, programs, evaluations, recruitment, finance, etc. The sponsoring group (advisory) should meet at least quarterly and the working committees monthly or bimonthly.

A. Membership should reflect a complete cross section of the community. Representatives might be selected from:

1. Persons interested in service including consumers

2. Persons knowledgeable of various types of impairments, disabilities and handicaps

a. physicians, psychologists, therapeutic specialties, persons in allied medical fields
b. social workers
c. teachers
d. parents
e. participants from other service programs

3. Representatives of:

a. church groups
b. service clubs
c. lodges
d. other organizations and groups

4. Other interested personnel from community agencies and programs:

a. private agencies
b. public agencies
c. human services agencies, including social service, rehabilitation, etc.
d. administrative program coordinators
e. education administrators and teachers
f. recreation and park staffs
g. state institutions
h. private health groups, including service delivery, insurance organizations, etc.
i. foundations
j. President's Committees and Councils
k. governor's committees; mayor's committees
l. human resources committees

B. Council subcommittees may be assigned the following functions:

1. Public relations
2. Records
3. Program content
4. Evaluation
5. Recruitment and training (staff and volunteers)
6. Finance and budget
7. Other ad hoc sub-committees as necessary

III. PERSONNEL
Agendas involved with adapted and/or integrated programs face the need to retrain current aquatic personnel to work with people with special needs. It is therefore necessary that these agencies provide both pre-service and in-service training so that instructors will feel comfortable about working with special populations on an integrated, partially integrated, or separate basis, depending on the conditions involved.

A. An adequate number of pool instructors who are trained or are willing to become trained must be identified and involved with the program.

B. Skills required of an instructor working with mainstreamed populations:

1. Sensitivity to others and their needs
2. Ability to adjust to disabilities
3. Training and background consistent with program requirements
4. Initiative and imagination
5. Patience and understanding
6. General idea of educational methods and psychological approaches to working with integrated populations

C. Sources of personnel:

1. Trained professionals in physical education and recreation:
2. Trained and certified aquatic leadership
3. Students (i.e., university, college, high school)
4. Individuals (men or women who have leisure time available)
5. Parents
6. Clubs
7. Other participants

D. A volunteer program is a valuable source of personnel with the additional benefits of:

1. A genuine interest is assured
2. An adequate ratio of instructors to participants maybe achieved in no other way.

IV. RECRUITMENT AND TRAINING OF PERSONNEL
The operation of a program is a complex and frequently chaotic venture. Program stability must be visible to potential staff, as well as developed through training with all staff. Attention must be given to obvious details and to subtle issues such as support, cooperation and opportunity for personal and professional growth.

A. Clearly stated resources and procedures must cover such topics as:

1. Transportation and transfer of clients
2. Lockers
3. Individual program prescription and implementation
4. Records, including intake, recording and evaluation
5. Procedures (including safety)
6. Pool program assistants
7. Other related issues

B. In-service training, including access to professional development opportunities, must be an integral part of the program.

V. VOLUNTEER TRAINING
The volunteer is frequently only as good as his/her training. Although volunteers may have generally high level of skills, these must be tuned to specific program needs. Volunteers are not only needed in the pool but in many other areas such as transportation, committee work, etc.
A volunteer coordinator, who may also be a volunteer, is a valuable asset to assure that this aspect of the program runs smoothly.

A. Plan several sessions of lecture and water work and proceed from a planned agenda available to all.

B. Create a friendly atmosphere. Remember that:

1. Introductions are important.
2. Volunteers must feel needed and important to the program.

C. A training program should include the following:

1. Development of positive attitudes toward people
2. Background material on special conditions of participants and how to work with them in the water
3. Discussion of attitudes related to mainstreaming
4. Beginner swim skills including the importance of movement exploration and games.
5. Applying knowledge to situations encountered in water and the importance of personal assistance
6. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation
7. Emergency procedures in relation to each pool should be pointed out as well as how to operate safety equipment

D. In-service training is important to volunteers as well as other staff.

1. Schedule regular meetings with instructors, other volunteers and agency members
2. Review swimming progressions and adaptations awl evaluate the results
3. Utilize new materials
4. Plan field trips and other activities which expand on knowledge and awareness.

E. Incorporate other professionals into training program as teaching staff (i.e., teachers, doctors, etc.)

F. Training materials and resources include:

1. Films, manuals and associated material on regular and special swimming programs
2. Audio visual aids
3. Pictures
4. Meeting with special interest groups, attending special lectures or training events.

VI. THE POOL
Pool selection, if you have a choice, is important. It must be accessible at all points from the building entrance to the bathrooms, showers, and pools. Also, water temperature may be critical for some types of handicapping conditions. For some groups a large area of shallow water might be needed, especially where one-to-one assistance or instruction is needed. In some cases, a chair lift, hoist or ramp is required for pool entry.

Most communities have facilities which, with minimum adaptations, could be used for programs serving integrating populations. Schools (including colleges and universities), public and private recreational agencies, parks and recreational departments, motels and hotels, clubs and private individuals are included as possible contacts.

A. Among special conditions to be considered are:

1. 84–96º degree F water temperature
2. Water 3’ to 6’ in depth

B. Pools must be watched closely for water purity due to the increase in water temperature. Other facility requirements include:

1. Dressing and locker rooms adjacent to the pool and accessible from street level by wheelchair or capable of being reached by other impaired individuals
2. Dressing rooms and locker rooms available, accessible, and/or correct in size
3. Special equipment
4. Special equipment as needed (i.e., flotation aids, color and shape-coded station markers, etc.
5. Regular swim equipment

C. Consult published references on other physical requirements of pools and adaptations which can be used in otherwise inaccessible pools.

VII. SUGGESTED POOL PROCEDURES
It is important that individual programs be so structured that all individuals are able to achieve some success, no matter how small. Skills, therefore, are broken down into component parts so even very severely handicapped individuals may experience a feeling of accomplishment. These same teaching techniques are also effective with young “normal” children and beginners. Mainstreaming works well with these groups and where participants are acquiring similar skills.

A. An established procedure for each class adds stability to the program. Be sure that safety procedures are clearly written and understood by all.

B. Pool procedure for a beginner’s class would include:

1. Instructors check participant’s folder before start of program
2. Roll call. Specify pool departure procedures
3. Students proceed with instructor
4. Enter pool, preferably independently. For some cases a lift may be helpful.
5. Group instruction to include games, movement exploration, movement education, motor development, skills, etc.
6. Work on individual needs and swim skills
7. Group period for practice of skills and socializing which could include interval training or the station method
8. A small amount of free time depending upon the class
9. Class dismissed
10. Complete recording in participant’s file

C. Divide the pool according to ability and with a lifeguard on deck for each section and instructors in the water with students.

D. Be sure that all staff are adequately skilled to meet the program needs of the class or section.

VIII. RECORDS
The development and maintenance of participant and program records is necessary. Although time-consuming, this activity assures that progress of the individual and the program can be monitored. Reports of activity based on this information may be required by some agencies and/or funding sources; other uses may include public relations, inter-agency communications, etc.

A. All records and questions related to the records are completely confidential and should be released and/or discussed only after written consent has been given by the participant, parent, or guardian.

B. A participant’s folder should include:

1. Intake/general information form
2. Activity plan including an Individual Education Program (IEP) or Individual Program Plan (IPP) or program prescription
3. Necessary diagnostic and evaluation information
4. Progress charts
5. Evaluation For. Recommendations of the instructor
7. Record of all contacts made on behalf of the participant

a. follow-up information to referral source
b. contacts with specialists or consultants
c. contacts with follow-up programs

C. Additional records should be maintained including:

1. Program goals, objectives and assessments and revised or updated goals
2. Program description
3. Budget
4. Evaluation forms

IX. COOPERATION/COORDINATION WITH OTHERS (i.e., REFERRAL SOURCES, TEACHERS, PARENTS, ETC.)
It is very important to exchange information with consumers and their families, representatives from the medical and educational fields, social service agencies, and other professionals. Agency personnel may provide valuable consultation in the process. Program success depends on healthy interaction among everyone relating to the program.

A. Be sure that communication is a high-priority goal of your program.

B. Cooperation/coordination requires frequent information exchange—take the initiative!

C. Pursue the sharing process even though some individuals do not appear to be interested or are not easy to relate to.

X. PROMOTION AND AWARDS
Since we learn best when we have positive feedback about our behavior, a program of promotion and awards is vital. In some cases elaborate or sophisticated awards may be useful; however, in most instances, these should be simple. The goal is to reinforce with a visible reminder the importance you place on the particular success.

A. Individuals need reinforcement of their accomplishments at the time of success.

B. Charts, certificates, etc. may be used to maintain interest as well as reward success.

C. Groups, organizations, and individuals who assist by giving money or equipment should be presented a certificate of appreciation.

XI. PUBLIC RELATIONS
A successful adaptive swimming program needs a good public relations program. Publicity through regular news media must be supplemented with interpretive information. The community must be made aware of what is going on, why such programming is important, and what the end results can be. It is necessary to adequately explain goals and objectives so the community will recognize the benefits of the project and give its whole-hearted support

A. The basic objective of public relations is to develop and maintain the interest of the community.

B. Public relations should include:

1. Publicity
2. Newspapers, pictures, radio, and television
3. Informative programs presented to community organizations
5. Interpretation of results must accompany all
6. Internet and world wide web.

C. Continued emphasis should be placed upon the actual and potential accomplishment of the program—the over-all worth of the program

XII. DEALING WITH PROBLEMS
A by-product of any worthwhile activity is problems, problems . . . problems! Some problems may result from your mistakes and others may be due to the effects of uncontrolled circum-stances. Here are a few points to consider when the problems start:

A. A sound evaluation process is the quickest (and least emotional) way to identify real or potential problems.

B. Start with a definition of the problem so that it is understood by all.
Solutions to problems must be planned and thought out before they are attempted. Seek help! Learn to recognize and accept when you do not have a solution –this saves time, usually money and is usually less stressful.

CONTACT:
Disability International Foundation
Mrs. Grace Demmery Reynolds, President
P.O. Box 1781
Longview, Washington 98632 USA
FAX--------- 360/636-1680
EMAIL------- dif@teleport.com
WEBSITE----- http://www.teleport.com/~dif/

GLOBAL VISION PROJECT: Global Vision of Rehabilitation and
Recreation for People with Disabilities in the 21st Century
A Joint Project by
Disability International Foundation AND
Special Recreation for disABLED International

GO HOME PAGE
GO INDEX