PLAR Policies

Policy Name:  6-20 Candidates Requiring Accommodations for the Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition Examinations

Established:  May 2016
Reviewed:
Revised: January 2017, January 25, 2021

Policy Statement

A candidate who has a disability, a temporary disability, special condition, religious, or other reason that warrants accommodation may request accommodation for the Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR) examination(s). Disabilities, temporary disabilities, or special conditions which warrant an accommodation may include (but are not limited to): a learning disability, poor vision, anxiety, pregnancy, lactation.

When considering a request for an accommodation, the College must balance the rights of the candidate with its mandate to protect the public interest through fair, secure, valid, and reliable PLAR examinations.

A reasonable testing accommodation is an adjustment or modification of the standard testing conditions that ameliorates the impact of the candidate’s disability/condition without:

• Altering the nature of the examination or the College’s ability to determine whether the candidate possesses the essential knowledge, skills and abilities required to practice dietetics in Canada;
• imposing an undue burden on the College or other candidates; and,
• compromising the security, validity, and the reliability of the examinations.

Reasonable accommodations may include (but not limited to) additional time to complete the exam, breaks, an opportunity to write the exam in a private room with limited distractions, a reader, a recorder, writing the exam on two consecutive days, or providing access to food/drink/medicine during approved scheduled breaks. The College will provide reasonable accommodations at no additional cost to the candidate. The Candidate is responsible for any costs required to request the accommodation, including any costs to complete Form B and any supporting documentation.

Procedure

1. 1. With the exception of unplanned/unforeseen circumstances, written requests must be received by the exam accommodation request deadline date set by the College.
   2. If the accommodation requires writing on a day other than the scheduled day, the candidate may only write within one day of the scheduled exam date.Request for accommodation – must include:
   3. Request for accommodation – must include:
      • a. Completion of Form A (Candidate Application for Testing Accommodations), as applicable, by the candidate;
      • b. Completion of Form B (Candidate Application for Testing Accommodations for Mental or Physical Disability Related Needs), as applicable, by the appropriate health care professional and any indicated supporting documentation. An appropriate health care professional who is qualified to diagnose the impairment, has been involved in the candidate’s assessment and has sufficient knowledge and expertise to be able to identify what accommodation is needed in relation to the disability or special condition. The College reserves the right to seek another expert opinion. Form B is not required for an accommodation request related to breastfeeding or pregnancy.
      • c. Completion of Form C (Candidate Application for Religious Accommodation), as applicable, by the candidate.
   4. The decision to approve or deny an accommodation request will be made by the College’s Registrar (or delegate). The College reserves the right to refuse any accommodation requests that threatens the psychometric soundness, reliability, fairness and/or security of the exams.

Note: Accommodations granted during university may not be granted in a professional exam. An accommodation for a professional exam enables the candidate to access the exam (removes the barrier that prevents the candidate from displaying their knowledge) but does not compromise the exam’s ability to assess competency.

Policy Name:  6-40 Candidates Unable To Write the Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition Examinations Due To Compelling Reasons

Established:  May 2016
Reviewed:
Revised: January 2017, January 25, 2021

Policy Statement

Candidates who are unable to write the Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition examinations: Knowledge and Competency Assessment Tool (KCAT) or Performance Based Assessment (PBA) due to compelling reasons beyond their control may apply to the College of Dietitians of Ontario for a refund of the examination fee. Special circumstances and compelling reasons may include, but are not limited to bereavement, accidents, illness, or travel disruptions.

The decision about whether to grant a refund is made by the Registrar and the amount of the refund will depend on the costs incurred by the College that are not recoverable.

Procedure

1. 1. A candidate who wishes to withdraw from the KCAT or PBA after the registration deadline has passed due to compelling reasons, may apply for a refund of the examination fees. 
   2. If the candidate does not attend the scheduled administration of the KCAT or PBA due to compelling reasons, the candidate must contact the College within 2 business days after the scheduled administration.  
   3. The written request for refund must state the circumstances under which the candidate was unable to write the examination, and include any supporting documentation required by the College.
   4. Candidates who withdraw their application for the examination under procedure 1 and 2, are eligible for a refund of the examination fee minus an administrative fee of $55.
   5. If the candidate’s withdrawal from the examination results in costs to the College that cannot be recovered, the amount of the refund will be further reduced to cover the costs to the College.

• Policy Name:  6-50 Administration of KCAT Related to Emergency Disaster

  Established:  May 2016
  Reviewed:
  Revised: January 2017

  Policy Statement

  The safety of individuals must be paramount in determining appropriate actions in the event of a disaster or emergency. The security of the examination must also be protected.  Given the variable nature and timing of all possible disasters and emergencies, the College of Dietitians of Ontario (CDO) and the examination company must determine the most appropriate actions at the time of the disruptive event to safeguard individuals and the examination security.  The following procedures provide a framework for determining the most appropriate actions. 

  Procedure

  1. If there is a disaster before the day of the KCAT and if time permits, CDO and/or the examination company will notify the candidates that the KCAT will be rescheduled. 
  2. If the disaster occurs with inadequate time to permit notification to the candidates, and the circumstances of the disaster warrant, the examination company will make the decision to cancel the KCAT. If time permits, the examination company will consult with CDO.
  3. The writing centre will manage the situation in the event of an emergency during the examination (such as a bomb threat or power outage), and provide instructions to the candidates.
  4. If candidates are unable to complete the KCAT, CDO will work with the examination company to reschedule for the earliest possible day.

Policy Name:  6-60 Disqualification & Cheating

Established:  May 2016
Reviewed:
Revised: January 2017, March 17, 2017

Policy Statement

Cheating can include but is not limited to one or more of the following:

• a. Non-registered individuals posing as registered candidates;
• b. Bringing study materials or any electronic devices to the candidate’s desk;
• c. Attempting to observe another candidates’ work;
• d. Seeking or giving aid to another candidate;
• e. Conversation or other communication with another candidate before, during or after the examination that would jeopardize the integrity or security of the examination;
• f. Any discussion of the exam (Knowledge and Competency Assessment Test, or Practice-Based Assessment), including the informal or organized sharing of and distribution of questions based on memory or recall, once the Exam has been written.

Any candidate who is found cheating will be disqualified from the examination.

Procedure

1. The exam invigilators will monitor candidates for behaviours that suggest cheating. 
2. Under some circumstances, the candidate may be blocked from continuing with the exam.  All suspected instances of cheating must be reported to College of Dietitians of Ontario.
3. CDO will take any further action in accordance with provincial regulation or by-law and policy, including:
   • a. notifying the candidate of the disqualification
   • b. notifying the examination company of disqualification
4. The candidate may request an appeal of the disqualification according to policy 6-70.
5. The following additional consequences apply to any candidate found cheating on the KCAT or PBA:
   • a. CDO may consider the suitability of the candidate’s character to be a registered dietitian in keeping with its registration policies and procedures.
   • b. dietetic regulatory bodies in other jurisdictions will be notified of the candidate’s disqualification from the KCAT or PBA.
   • c. the fact of the candidate’s disqualification from the KCAT or PBA will be disclosed to any other regulatory bodies that contact the College regarding the candidate’s application/registration history.

Policy Name:  6-70 Appeal Process – Eligibility or Disqualification Decisions for Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition Process

Established:  May 2016
Reviewed:
Revised: January 2017, November 2021

Policy Statement

Applicants shall have the right to appeal a decision which deems the applicant ineligible to write the Knowledge and Competence Assessment Tool (KCAT) under Policy 6-10 or disqualified from writing the KCAT or Performance Based Assessment (PBA) under Policy 6-60: Disqualification Cheating. Grounds for appeal are based on irregularities in the process for determining eligibility or disqualification based on cheating.

A panel of the Registration Committee will review all appeals related to decisions about an applicant’s eligibility for or disqualification. The review will focus on determining whether the existing policies were applied in a manner that is transparent and fair.

Procedure

1. The applicant must submit to the College a written request for appeal, along with the appeal fee not more than 30 days after the eligibility or disqualification decision was made.
2. The applicant can withdraw their appeal up until the decision is made. The appeal fee is not refundable if an appeal is withdrawn.
3. The College will acknowledge the appeal from the applicant in writing within 15 calendar days of receiving the request.   The acknowledgement letter will outline the appeal process, the expected timelines, and possible outcomes.
4. In considering the appeal, a panel of the Registration Committee will determine whether existing policies were applied in determining eligibility to write or disqualification from the KCAT or PBA.
   • a. Was the process transparent and clearly articulated to the applicant (exam rules and definition of cheating; eligibility criteria, required documents, relevant deadlines and the possible outcomes)?
   • b. Did staff follow the published process in determining the eligibility or disqualification of the applicant?
   • c. Has the applicant provided any information to suggest unfairness with the review of their own application/situation or with the process itself?  This could include concerns about transparency, impartiality, objectivity or fairness of the process.  
5. Following the review of the appeal, the panel of the Registration Committee reviewing the appeal will notify the candidate in writing of its decision and the reason(s).
6. The decision of the panel of the Registration Committee is final.
7. If the appeal is successful the applicant will be eligible to register for and write the next available administration of the KCAT or PBA at no additional cost, and the appeal fee will be refunded.

Policy Name:  6-80 Appeal Process-Results of KCAT or PBA

Established:  January 2017
Reviewed:
Revised: November 2021

Policy Statement

Candidates who have a failing score on the Knowledge and Competency Assessment Test (KCAT) or the Performance-Based Assessment (PBA) shall have the right to appeal their examination results based only on (a) irregularities in the examination administration process or (b) extraordinary, unforeseen, personal and not pre-existing circumstances that arise on the day of the exam.   The following circumstances may support an appeal request but are not limited to the following conditions:

• Exam procedures that vary significantly from the standard
• Extraordinary circumstances (e.g., family emergency or fire alarm during exam which led to substantial interruption)
• Illness that arose during the exam
• Accommodation (approved by the College in advance of the exam) not adequately implemented for the exam

Procedure

1. A failing candidate choosing to appeal their examination result must, within 20 calendar days of the sending of the examination results to the candidate, submit a written request to the College detailing the nature of the appeal. The candidate must pay the appeal fee before the appeal will be considered.
2. The candidate can withdraw their appeal up until a decision is made.  The appeal fee is not refundable if an appeal is withdrawn.
3. The College will acknowledge the appeal from the candidate in writing within 5 business days of receiving the request. The acknowledgement letter will outline the appeal process, the expected timelines, and possible outcomes. 
4. Following the review of the appeal, a panel of the Registration Committee will notify the candidate in writing of its decision and the reason(s).
5. The decision of the panel of the Registration Committee is final.
6. If the appeal is successful:
   • a. The examination that was appealed will not be counted as a failed attempt;
   • b. The candidate is allowed to re-write the next exam administration at no additional cost for an administrative-related appeal;
   • c. The candidate will be responsible for the cost of their next exam attempt for appeals granted for extraordinary personal circumstances;
   • d. The appeal fee will be refunded for administrative-related appeal issues, but not for appeals granted for extraordinary personal circumstances; and
   • e. Results of an examination will not be reversed from fail to pass.