Many children with disabilities drown in the State of Florida due to the inaccessibility and unavailability of appropriate swimming programs. In Broward County, 12% of children enrolled in the SWIM Central program are identified as having disabilities. In order to address this problem, in April of 2006, House Bill 1319 was unanimously passed in both the Florida House of Representatives and the Senate. This Bill requires certification of swimming instructors working with people with developmental disabilities and is imperative to the safety of these individuals. The funding that the Foundation receives will be for the development and implementation of the instructor training program. Aquatic activities offer unique experiences for the individual with developmental disabilities. Opportunity exists for motor skill acquisition, strengthening, and social/communication skills as well as fun and relaxation. Inclusion in school and community activities for these individuals has created a dramatic increase in their participation in aquatics. Parents and caregivers of individuals with special needs look to the aquatics community for expert advice and instruction for their child and have created a demand for quality swim instruction by certified teachers with specialized knowledge. This instructional manual, the online learning component, and water workshops include mandatory topics for special needs involvement in swimming and water safety. The content is mainly designed to certify instructors working with individuals with developmental disabilities. Swimming instructors completing this certification course will meet the requirements of the State of Florida for working with this population. The Marino SWIM Central Adaptive Aquatics gratefully acknowledges the generous support provided by the Dan Marino Foundation, Inc., the State of Florida and the Broward County Board of County Commissioners.