AIMFREE Manuals

NCPAD announces the release of the AIMFREE (Accessibility Instruments Measuring Fitness and Recreation Environments) Manuals. These manuals are a validated series of questionnaire measures that can be used by persons with mobility limitations and professionals (i.e., fitness and recreation center staff, and/or owners of fitness centers) to assess the accessibility of recreation and fitness facilities, including fitness centers and swimming pools.

Available manuals include:

1. Fitness Center and Swimming Pool Accessibility - Consumer Version
2. Fitness Center and Swimming Pool Accessibility - Professional Version
3. Fitness Center Accessibility - Professional Version
4. Fitness Center Accessibility - Consumer Version
5. Swimming Pool Accessibility - Consumer Version
6. Swimming Pool Accessibility - Professional Version

Project AIMFREE was a 3-year research project funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

AIMFREE manuals can be ordered by clicking here

How Does AIMFREE Fit with the U.S. Access Board Guidelines?

As a result of the strong need to increase accessibility of fitness and recreation facilities for people with disabilities, the U. S. Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board (known as the U. S. Access Board), an independent federal agency whose primary mission is to promote accessibility for individuals with disabilities, has approved guidelines in 2002 for fitness and recreation facilities. The chapter includes guidelines for amusement rides, boating facilities, fishing piers and platforms, golf courses and miniature golf, sports facilities (i.e., fitness centers), and swimming pools. While guidelines are a good starting point for addressing environmental barriers to participation, they only focus on one dimension of a facility’s accessibility — the built environment. There are a host of other factors that affect successful participation that must be evaluated collectively to determine a facility’s accessibility. The AIMFREE instruments have integrated the Access Board guidelines for assessing the built environment with six other factors that should be used to collectively assess accessibility at the intersection of the person and the environment. They are:

1. Equipment
2. Information
3. Programs
4. Policies
5. Professional Behavior
6. Professional Support and Training

Difference Between Professional and Consumer Version

The Consumer version of each manual is geared more toward assessing the accessibility of a facility from the perspective of the individual with the disability that is completing the instrument and for his or her own personal use of the facility.

In contrast, the professional version is more oriented toward assessing a facility’s compliance with accessibility guidelines and therefore involves taking more specific measurements. For example, is there a clear path leading from the locker room entrance to the lockers that is at least 36 inches wide as specified by the U.S. Access Board (http://www.access-board.gov/)

While the consumer version is often subjective, the professional version is more objective. Thus, two consumers evaluating the same facility may have very different impressions of a facility's accessibility, depending upon their level of disability and whether or not the facility accommodates their needs. Two professionals evaluating the same facility with the professional version of AIMFREE should obtain the same, or nearly, the same evaluation of the facility.

Fitness Center and Swimming Pool Accessibility - Consumer Version

For a consumer who would like to assess the accessibility of a fitness center that has an on-site swimming pool, for his or her own personal use of the facility.

Fitness Center and Swimming Pool Accessibility - Professional Version

For a fitness or other professional to objectively assess a facility's compliance with accessibility guidelines.

Fitness Center Accessibility - Consumer Version

For a consumer who would like to assess the accessibility of a fitness center that does not have an on-site swimming pool, for his or her own personal use of the facility.

Fitness Center Accessibility - Professional Version

For a fitness or other professional to objectively assess a facility's compliance with accessibility guidelines.

Swimming Pool Accessibility - Consumer Version

For a consumer who would like to assess the accessibility of a swimming pool for his or her own personal use of the facility.

Swimming Pool Accessibility - Professional Version

For a fitness or other professional to objectively assess a facility's compliance with accessibility guidelines.

Journals

1. Rimmer, James H.; Riley, Barth; Wang, Edward; Rauworth, Amy; Jurkowski, Janine. (2004). Physical activity participation among persons with disabilities: Barriers and facilitators. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 26(5), 419-425.
2. Rimmer, James H.; Riley, Barth; Wang, Edward; Rauworth, Amy. (2004). Development and validation of AIMFREE: Accessibility instruments measuring fitness and recreation environments. Disability and Rehabilitation, 26(18), 1087-1095.
3. Rimmer, J. H., Riley, B., Wang, E, & Rauworth, A. (2005). Accessibility of health clubs for people with mobility disabilities and visual impairments. American Journal of Public Health, 95, 2022-2028.

This fact sheet was last updated on 05-14-2007.

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