Ohio Assessments for Educators (OAE) Special Education Practice Exam 2025 - Free Special Education Practice Questions and Study Guide

The definition of a child with deafness is specifically characterized by a severity of hearing impairment that precludes understanding any speech. This classification acknowledges that children with deafness have significant limitations in auditory perception, which can adversely affect their communication skills. Unlike mild hearing impairments, which may still allow for the recognition of some speech sounds, a diagnosis of deafness indicates a more profound level of hearing loss.

It's important to recognize the nuances in the other options. A mild hearing impairment that allows for some speech recognition would not meet the criteria for being classified as deaf, as individuals in this category can still discern sounds and potentially understand spoken language to some degree. Similarly, having an intermittent ability to hear with amplification does not define deafness, as individuals in this situation may shift between hearing normally with assistance and experiencing hearing loss. Lastly, hearing impairment that is only present in noisy environments suggests an inconsistency in hearing ability, which does not align with the classification of deafness that indicates a more constant and severe hearing loss regardless of environment.