Previous Section | Next Section

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.

Previous Section | Next Section

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