Image Description: Two children in a gym with a group of people playing basketball. One kid is wearing a hat and holding a basketball while sitting in a manual wheelchair. Their friend is holding on to the back of the chair. They are both smiling. There are people blurred out in the background.
We are a team of researchers who work with community partners to develop evidence-based resources to assist, inform and motivate physical activity! We want to make it easier for people of all ages and abilities to participate in physical activity.
Our team has developed five evidence-based recommendations to help organizations promote physical activity for children and youth with disabilities. Including our Accessible Physical Activity Checklist!
Discover our Recommendations
Image Description: Dr. Rebecca in a white t-shirt, smiling in front of a tree.
Dr. Rebecca Bassett-Gunter is the AIMPA team lead. Rebecca is an Associate Professor in the School of Kinesiology and Health Science at York University. Her research is focused on understanding strategies to motivate and support physical activity for children and youth of all abilities. If she is not at her computer, you can likely find her walking her dog or at a hockey arena cheering on her son.
Image Description: Dr. Lauren outside smiling with their dog, in front of a tree.
Dr. Lauren Tristani is a Research and Evaluation Specialist at Autism Ontario. She completed her PhD in AIMPA lab. Her work has focused on supporting inclusive physical education and physical activity for children and youth with disabilities.
Image Description: Victoria sitting on a red couch smiling, wearing a black formal dress.
Victoria Larocca is a Doctoral student in the AIMPA lab. Her research is focused on developing effective messaging strategies to support community-based organizations in promoting physical activity to families of children and youth with disabilities. When she is not studying, you can find her working out at the gym or experimenting in the kitchen with new recipes.
Image Description: Nicholas smiling against a blank background, wearing a denim button up shirt.
Nicholas Santino is a Doctoral student in the AIMPA lab. His research is focused on understanding environmental and cognitive factors related to the development of effective physical activity messaging and high-quality participation. The vastness of the human experience is of substantial interest to Nicholas so you will often find him exploring new activities and talking with many people to hear their stories.
Image Description: Katerina outside smiling wearing a black dress shirt.
Katerina Disimino is a Masters student in the AIMPA lab. Her research is focused on identifying strategies to support community based physical activity organizations in developing inclusive practices. She has a passion for all things fitness, and in her free time she enjoys going for walks, playing soccer, and riding her bike.
Image Description: Sepehr against a dark background, wearing glasses and a dark collared shirt.
Sepehr Rassi is a Doctoral student in the AIMPA lab. His research is focused on developing interactive online programming to support accessible physical activity for children and youth with Autism. Sep is a huge soccer fan and has been a supporter of Barcelona FC since 1997.
Image Description: Victoria against a light background smiling, with her hair tied back in a braid.
Victoria Mousses is a Masters student in the AIMPA lab. Her research is focused on understanding and supporting the physical activity needs of university students from various special populations, such as students with disabilities, students with mental health challenges, transgender and 2SLGBTQ+ students.
We would love to hear from you! Feel free to reach out to the AIMPA team. Fill out our form and someone will be in touch soon!
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