Researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago are looking for assistance in recruiting parents and their children to participate in an internet-based survey on the health of children with disability. The research team at the University of Illinois at Chicago, Department of Disability and Human Development is conducting a series of research studies on obesity among children with disabilities, funded by the U.S.

Here at the Inclusive Fitness Coalition we believe it is time to find and celebrate inclusive playgrounds and/or playgrounds with specific inclusive elements. Current research points to the playground as an optimal space for children to learn, develop, and exercise, which highlights the need to create accessible and inclusive playgrounds for children of all abilities in every community.

Thank you for participating! The 2008 Inclusive Fitness Coalition Stakeholder Strategy Session was held Wednesday, October 15, 2008 from 8:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. CT at McCormick Place in Chicago, IL. Thank you to everyone who joined us at this meeting to help identify and strategize the next steps for the IFC in its continued efforts to increase access to and participation in physical activity for people with disabilities.

The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) is pleased to announce a collaboration with the National Center on Physical Activity and Disability (NCPAD) to offer a specialty certification. This certification is an industry-first for professionals working in the health and fitness field, specifically to assist in fully including individuals with disabilities into various exercise environments, including health club, outdoor and home-based settings. 

The IFC Newsletter is a quarterly publication released every Fall (October), Winter (January), Spring (April) and Summer (July).

Click here to download pdf versions of the member newsletters:

Kester Edwards, Former Special Olympics Athlete and Current Healthy Athletes Outreach Coordinator

"At an early age, physical activity was the greatest thing that could have happened to me. Through my participation as an athlete and a former Special Olympics competitor, my life has been given courage, determination, and inspiration. Why is it that community fitness centers always see working with people with disabilities as an add-on or more work? The Inclusive Fitness Coalition is about building bridges in communities by focusing on fitness for all."

Exercise Guidelines for Individuals with Neuromuscular Disabilities - CEPA Webinar

Thursday, June 18, 2009
12:00-1:00 pm ET (9:00-10:00 am PT)