Background and Rationale
Lack of access to community resources can greatly diminish the health and quality of life of people with disabilities. Seventeen years after the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the subsequent publication of recreation area accessibility guidelines by the U.S. Access Board, a great many fitness and recreational environments continue to be largely inaccessible for persons with disabilities. While a variety of factors contribute to the continuing failure of fitness facilities to meet the accessibility needs of people with disabilities, including: (1) lack of awareness on the part of facility owners concerning accessibility; (2) misconceptions about the needs and interests of persons with disabilities regarding participation in fitness and recreation; and (3) economic and resource issues related to making accessibility improvements to buildings and natural areas.
Rectech has developed a computer-based, technology-driven approach for improving the accessibility of fitness and recreation facilities. Key components of this approach include:
- A standardized assessment process that provides facility owners with feedback concerning the accessibility of their facility, including both barriers and facilitators to access.
- Emphasis on readily achievable barrier removal.
- Presenting feedback to facility owners and staff in the form of incremental improvements or “next steps” to facility accessibility.
The assessments are conducted through participatory collaborations of people with disabilities, fitness and recreation professionals, and facility managers. The assessment uses a valid and reliable measure of facility accessibility called the Accessibility Instruments Measuring Fitness and Recreation Environments or AIMFREE. However, a major concern with the existing version of the AIMFREE instrument is that it can take approximately 2-3 hours to complete, depending on the number of barriers identified. Consistent with the proposed model, the purpose of this study is to advance this work by developing methods and technologies that will facilitate the efficient assessment of facility accessibility.
This fact sheet was last updated on 11-16-2007.
Accesskeys
(Activated)