Testing Accommodations
Supports are available to ensure equitable opportunity to demonstrate skills and knowledge.
CAPR may be able to arrange reasonable and appropriate testing accommodations for candidates who have documented needs, within the limit of undue hardship. Testing accommodations are intended to enable candidates to demonstrate their competence by altering the exam environment to compensate for documented limitations.
Testing accommodations are NOT intended to ensure success in the exam for candidates with documented needs; rather, they ensure that all candidates are given a fair and equitable chance to succeed.
CAPR does not lower the passing standard or modify the content of the PCE in any way.
Timeframe – Testing Accommodations Requests must be submitted through the Client Portal by the application deadline of the relevant exam (see the Exam Dates page).
NOTE: After the application deadline of the relevant exam, the option to submit a Testing Accommodations Request will no longer appear on the portal.
Submit a Testing Accommodations (TA) Request
Please review the detailed Instructions for requesting testing accommodations.
Step 1: Read the information on this webpage
And read the Testing Accommodations Policy.
Step 2: Obtain all required supporting documentation related to your impairment(s):
Nature of Impairment:
Required Documents – completed by an appropriate healthcare provider:
Assessment must be completed NO EARLIER than:
| Nature of Impairment: | Required Documents – completed by an appropriate healthcare provider: | Assessment must be completed NO EARLIER than: |
|---|---|---|
Learning, Intellectual, and Behavioural Impairments • Such as: Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Dyslexia, and other specific/general learning, intellectual, or behavioural disability | A complete psychoeducational or neuropsychological assessment report conducted at 18 years of age or older OR A documentation update/re- assessment that includes tests and scales demonstrating your current limitations and needs if the original assessment was conducted before 18 years of age or more than 5 years of the exam date OR The Healthcare Provider Form and a complete psychoeducational or neuropsychological assessment report conducted before 18 years of age or more than 5 years of the exam date | 5 years before the date of the exam |
| Neurological Impairments • Such as: Acquired/Traumatic Brain Injury (ABI/TBI), Cerebrovascular Accident (CVA), Concussion, Migraine Headache Disorder, Seizure Disorder, Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) | The Healthcare Provider Form | 3 months before the date of the exam |
| Acute Physical or Sensory Impairments • Such as: Injuries, Post-surgical conditions | The Healthcare Provider Form | 3 months before the date of the exam |
| Chronic Physical or Sensory Impairments • Such as: Arthritis, Auditory impairments, Chronic pain, Chronic physical impairments, Fibromyalgia syndrome, Neuromusculoskeletal impairments (central or peripheral), Visual impairments | The Healthcare Provider Form | 12 months before the date of the exam |
| Psychiatric Disorders • Such as: Bipolar Affective Disorder, Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Panic Disorder, Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) | A psychological assessment report that includes tests and scales administered that illustrate the candidate’s present limitations and needs. Evidence can include, but should not exclusively consist of, candidate self-reports (the report should include observational data, treatment/management information, etc.). OR The Healthcare Provider Form | 12 months before the date of the exam |
| Other Medical Conditions • Such as: Asthma, Diabetes and other endocrine conditions, Digestive/Gastrointestinal conditions, Pregnancy and postpartum considerations, Severe allergies, Urinary conditions | The Healthcare Provider Form | 3 months before the date of the exam |
Step 3: Go to the Client Portal
Submit a PCE Written Application. The option to create a Testing Accommodations Request will become available after submitting a PCE Written Application.
Step 4: Click the ‘Create Testing Accommodations Request’ button.
On the ‘Testing Accommodations Request’ screen, click ‘Next’ (the Application Date and Exam Date [from the PCE Written Application you submitted] will be auto populated).
Complete all sections of the Testing Accommodations Request:
1. In the Impairment section:
- Click the Add Impairment button.
- Select the applicable Nature of Impairment in the dropdown.
- Provide a description of your current impairment(s) in the Documented Impairment text box.
NOTE: Please limit each entry to ONE impairment (and the associated functional limitation(s) and management/treatment related to that impairment) only. - Provide details on how your impairment impacts your daily life and your ability to take the Written Component in the Functional Limitation(s) text box.
- Provide the history (including history of testing accommodations, if applicable) and ongoing management of your impairment(s) and functional limitation(s) in the Management/Treatment text box. Include information regarding strategies that you take to address your needs in daily life and their impact on your personal and academic functions.
- Click the Submit button. After you submit, you will be redirected to the Testing Accommodations Request page.
- You may include additional impairment(s), if applicable, by clicking on the Add Impairment button.
Please see below for an example of a successfully submitted impairment record:
2. In the Requested Testing Accommodation(s) section:
- Click the Add Testing Accommodation button.
- Enter the environmental and/or time-related Testing Accommodation that you are requesting in the ‘Requested Testing Accommodation(s)’ text box.
NOTE: Please limit each entry to ONE type of Testing Accommodation and its rationale.
Examples of commonly requested Testing Accommodations (this list is not prescriptive or exhaustive):
- Additional testing time – with access to exam content
- To be used exclusively to read and answer questions
- Requests should be made in hours and/or minutes
- Off-the-clock break time – no access to exam content
- This is a pause on the exam clock, and may be used to address personal needs
- Requests should be made in hours and/or minutes
- A private/semi-private exam room
- An exam reader
- An exam answer recorder
- Access to food and/or drink
- Access to medical devices that are connected to a communication device (such as a phone or tablet)
- Permission to read questions aloud
NOTE: Not all types of testing accommodations may be possible to implement at all test centres or in both modes of exam delivery (remotely proctored and test centre appointments). Whenever possible, CAPR grants testing accommodations that can be implemented both at a test centre and via remote delivery of the Written Component.
- Provide details on the how the Testing Accommodation(s) that you are requesting mitigates your impairment(s) and functional limitation(s) in the Rationale text box.
- Click the Submit button. After you submit, you will be redirected to the Testing Accommodations Request page.
- You may include additional Testing Accommodation(s), if applicable, by clicking on the Add Testing Accommodation button.
Please see below for an example of a successfully submitted ‘Requested Testing Accommodation(s)’ record:
- Prepare your supporting documentation, ensuring that it adheres to the requirements set out in the ‘Candidate Supporting Documentation Checklist’.
- Upload your supporting documentation in the Supporting Documents section by:
- Click ‘Upload Document’.
- Click ‘Choose File’, select the pdf version of your supporting documentation, and click ‘Open’.
- Click ‘Upload’.
- Once you see the ‘Document has been uploaded’ notification, click ‘Submit’.
- When the document has been successfully uploaded, the ‘Received Date’ in the ‘Supporting Documents’ page will be populated.
NOTE: You may include other documentation to support your request in addition to the required documentation (detailed above), such as additional reports and educational accommodations records from your academic institution. All supporting documentation MUST be submitted in a single document in .pdf format.
- Confirm that you have included all the information that you wish to be considered for your request, review the declaration and click the checkbox, and click ‘Submit Request’.
NOTE: You will NOT be able to add or edit information within the Testing Accommodations Request after it has been submitted.
Step 5: Wait for CAPR to complete the review of your request
Also supply any additional information or documentation via email as requested during the review process. You will receive a Testing Accommodations Plan via email once the review process is completed.
Step 6: Review, sign, and return via email the Testing Accommodations Plan.
Once CAPR receives your signed Testing Accommodations Plan, you will receive a Registration Notice with information about how to schedule your exam appointment.
NOTE:
The Testing Accommodations Plan granted by CAPR is only valid for the exam date specified in the request. The offer of testing accommodations for the exam does not obligate CAPR to offer the same, or different, Testing Accommodations for any future administration of the exam.
- Rescheduling your exam: There is no need to submit a new Testing Accommodations Request. CAPR will review your application to verify that all Testing Accommodations are still applicable and that all supporting documentation is still valid for the new exam date.
- Retaking the exam: You must submit a new Testing Accommodations Request for each exam attempt.
Review and Decision Process
CAPR reviews all Testing Accommodations Requests within a few days after submission. There are no established timelines for the review process, as this varies with each request.
Each Testing Accommodations Request is independently reviewed by at least two CAPR staff members, with input from an external consultant for complex cases.
CAPR reserves the right to modify or deny requested testing accommodations if the evidence is found insufficient to support the request. In such cases, CAPR may request additional information, and it is your responsibility to supply CAPR with this additional information as soon as possible and no later than 30 business days from the examination date.
Urgent Testing Accommodations Requests
CAPR may accept an urgent Testing Accommodations Request for injuries occurring after the request deadline, depending on the ability to complete the review process and implement the Testing Accommodations Plan prior to the examination date.
You may submit an urgent request via email to exams@alliancept.org no later than 15 business days before the exam date.
Where there is not sufficient time to complete the review process, you will have the following options:
- Take the exam without testing accommodations, despite the injury.
- Reschedule to another exam date where either:
- The injury will no longer be relevant, or
- There is sufficient time for a Testing Accommodations Request to be processed.
- Withdraw from the exam.