Course Description
Become a Handicapped Scuba Association (HSA) Instructor and bring the wonder and thrill of the underwater world to people with handicaps and those wishing to dive with a handicapped partner.
HSA was founded in 1981 and is now the world’s leading authority on recreational diving for people with disabilities. It is an independent diver training and certifying agency whose programs are internationally recognized
The HSA ITC course is conducted over three full days of intensive and insightful theory and application for those Instructors eager to accept the challenge of sharpening their teaching skills. Each instructor acquires medical information through lectures on disabilities followed by a series of confined and open water exercises designed to simulate disabilities. By “acting out” these handicaps, Instructors actually experience a sense of what it is like to BE a mobility or sight-impaired diver, an often surprising revelation! Certified, current, and insured Scuba Instructors from any training agency are eligible to attend the HSA ITC.
As an HSA Instructor you will train and certify handicapped students according to HSA Physical Performance Standards and a Multi-Level Certification system so exacting and sensitive it enables you to train people with a wide range of disabilities, including paraplegia, quadriplegia and even the blind! HSA Instructors are also able to offer the “Dive Buddy Program” to able-bodied divers wishing to expand their underwater world to include sharing it with a handicapped partner. An HSA certified Dive Buddy receives nearly as much information and skill training as an Instructor, except the training focuses on recreation, not instruction.
The HSA Instructor Course is conducted over 3 days.
Prerequisites
- Minimum certification: Dive Professional
- Minimum age: 18 years old
Course Materials
Required Materials
- HSA Instructor Manual
- Instructor Cue cards
Recommended Materials
- none
Course Preparation – Independent Study
- none