Understanding students who are deaf or hard of hearing 13
A committee is deciding the placement of a student who is deaf. What does the Texas Education Code say about the assessment procedures and materials used?Texas Education Code §29.310, Procedures and Materials for Assessment and Placement. Written to TExES Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing (181) Domain I, competency 003
A deaf child had no access to any language, signed or spoken, until age 7. What does the critical period hypothesis, popularized by Eric Lenneberg in 1967, say about her first language?Wikipedia, Critical period hypothesis. Written to TExES Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing (181) Domain I, competency 002
A deaf child is born to deaf parents who already use American Sign Language at home. According to the NIDCD, how will the child begin to acquire ASL?National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, American Sign Language. Written to TExES Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing (181) Domain I, competency 002
A first grader hears poorly whenever fluid builds up behind her eardrums during ear infections. Sound is not being carried well through the middle ear. Which type of hearing loss is this?Wikipedia, Conductive hearing loss. Written to TExES Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing (181) Domain I, competency 001
Show all 50 questions (46 more)
Understanding students who are deaf or hard of hearing, continued
A student has a hearing loss and a vision loss, and neither alone would meet Texas eligibility criteria. Together they hurt her school performance. What do Texas rules say?19 Texas Administrative Code §89.1040, Eligibility Criteria (Legal Information Institute copy). Written to TExES Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing (181) Domain I, competency 004
A two-year-old has a hearing loss and is behind in her development because of it. Under Texas eligibility rules, what lets her qualify as deaf or hard of hearing before age three?19 Texas Administrative Code §89.1040, Eligibility Criteria (Legal Information Institute copy). Written to TExES Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing (181) Domain I, competency 004
A woodshop runs machines at about 90 dBA for hours each day. According to the NIDCD, from what sound level can long or repeated exposure cause hearing loss?National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, Noise-Induced Hearing Loss. Written to TExES Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing (181) Domain I, competency 001
Besides test results, what must the evaluation data for a Texas student who is deaf or hard of hearing describe?19 Texas Administrative Code §89.1040, Eligibility Criteria (Legal Information Institute copy). Written to TExES Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing (181) Domain I, competency 003
Federal rules list 'deafness' and 'hearing impairment' as separate disability categories. How do Texas eligibility rules treat a student who meets either definition?19 Texas Administrative Code §89.1040, Eligibility Criteria (Legal Information Institute copy). Written to TExES Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing (181) Domain I, competency 004
How does the Texas Education Code define American Sign Language?Texas Education Code §29.301, Definitions. Written to TExES Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing (181) Domain I, competency 002
In Texas, the data reviewed to decide whether a student is eligible as deaf or hard of hearing must include an audiological evaluation by a licensed audiologist. What else must it include?19 Texas Administrative Code §89.1040, Eligibility Criteria (Legal Information Institute copy). Written to TExES Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing (181) Domain I, competency 003
Where in the cochlea are the hair cells that detect higher-pitched sounds, such as an infant crying?National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, How Do We Hear?. Written to TExES Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing (181) Domain I, competency 001
Which part of a cochlear implant collects the impulses from the stimulator and sends them to different regions of the auditory nerve?National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, Cochlear Implants. Written to TExES Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing (181) Domain I, competency 001
Promoting student learning and development 17
A deaf exchange student from London signs British Sign Language. According to the NIDCD, what should a Texas teacher of the deaf expect?National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, American Sign Language. Written to TExES Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing (181) Domain II, competency 007
A deaf fifth grader who moved to Texas from another state signs some words differently from her new classmates. How does the NIDCD account for differences like these?National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, American Sign Language. Written to TExES Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing (181) Domain II, competency 007
A deaf student is to move from a special class into a general education class for part of the school day. What does the Texas Education Code require of the school district?Texas Education Code §29.314, Transition Into General Education Class. Written to TExES Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing (181) Domain II, competency 009
A school buys a remote microphone system for a hard-of-hearing student. Under the federal special education rules, when must the district let her use it at home?34 CFR 300.105, Assistive technology (eCFR). Written to TExES Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing (181) Domain II, competency 006
A teacher is preparing deaf high school students to make their own phone calls through the Telecommunications Relay Service. Which number connects a caller to certain forms of relay service anywhere in the United States?Federal Communications Commission, Consumer Guide: Telecommunications Relay Service. Written to TExES Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing (181) Domain II, competency 009
A teacher of young deaf children picks a video whose captions summarize ideas and shorten phrases, so they are easier to read. What kind of captions are these?National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, Captions for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Viewers. Written to TExES Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing (181) Domain II, competency 005
A teacher speaks English aloud and signs a manual form of English at the same moment. What is this technique called?Wikipedia, Simultaneous communication. Written to TExES Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing (181) Domain II, competency 007
An individualized education program lists auditory training and speech reading for a hard-of-hearing student. Under the federal definition of related services, which service includes these habilitative activities?34 CFR 300.34, Related services (eCFR). Written to TExES Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing (181) Domain II, competency 007
Before a history chapter, a teacher of deaf students has the class fill in a three-column chart: what they know, what they want to learn and, after reading, what they learned. What is this chart meant to do before the reading?Wikipedia, KWL table. Written to TExES Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing (181) Domain II, competency 008
How does Signing Exact English differ from American Sign Language?Wikipedia, Signing Exact English. Written to TExES Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing (181) Domain II, competency 007
In 1864 Congress authorized the institution that is now Gallaudet University to grant college degrees. Which president signed the enabling act?Wikipedia, Gallaudet University. Written to TExES Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing (181) Domain II, competency 009
To teach the water cycle, a teacher of deaf students draws a diagram that uses visual symbols to show how the concepts relate to one another. What is this tool called?Wikipedia, Graphic organizer. Written to TExES Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing (181) Domain II, competency 008
What does the Texas Education Code require for the unique communication mode of a student who is deaf or hard of hearing?Texas Education Code §29.303, Unique Communication. Written to TExES Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing (181) Domain II, competency 006
What does the Texas Education Code say about role models for a student who is deaf or hard of hearing?Texas Education Code §29.307, Role Models. Written to TExES Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing (181) Domain II, competency 009
When it is practicable and does not conflict with the admission, review, and dismissal committee, what does the Texas Education Code say about the classmates of a student who is deaf or hard of hearing?Texas Education Code §29.305, Language Mode Peers. Written to TExES Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing (181) Domain II, competency 006
Which statement matches the Texas legislature's findings about how students who are deaf or hard of hearing communicate?Texas Education Code §29.302, Findings. Written to TExES Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing (181) Domain II, competency 005
Which style of hearing aid has a hard case worn behind the ear, connects to an earmold in the outer ear and is used by people of all ages?National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, Hearing Aids. Written to TExES Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing (181) Domain II, competency 006
English language arts and reading 10
A deaf fourth grader now recognizes printed words so quickly and accurately that her attention is free for the meaning of the text. Which reading skill has she gained?Wikipedia, Fluency. Written to TExES Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing (181) Domain III, competency 012
A deaf student whose first language is ASL chats easily in written English with friends but is lost in the English of her science textbook. In Cummins's terms, which kind of proficiency is she still building?Wikipedia, Cognitive academic language proficiency. Written to TExES Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing (181) Domain III, competency 010
A deaf three-year-old turns the pages of a picture book the right way and 'reads' it to her doll in sign. She cannot yet read words. What do educators call this knowledge of reading and writing?Wikipedia, Emergent literacies. Written to TExES Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing (181) Domain III, competency 011
A teacher has deaf students learn common words such as 'the' and 'said' as whole units, so that they know them in print at once without decoding. What are such words called?Wikipedia, Sight word. Written to TExES Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing (181) Domain III, competency 012
A teacher of deaf students sets aside time every day for writing and has students plan, draft, revise and edit pieces for different purposes. Which recommendation of the federal practice guide on elementary writing covers the second of these practices?Institute of Education Sciences, What Works Clearinghouse, Teaching Elementary School Students to Be Effective Writers. Written to TExES Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing (181) Domain III, competency 011
A teacher of deaf students who are learning English picks six words from a science text and teaches them over several days through readings, discussion, drawing and writing. Which recommendation of the federal practice guide on teaching English learners does this follow?Institute of Education Sciences, What Works Clearinghouse, Teaching Academic Content and Literacy to English Learners in Elementary and Middle School. Written to TExES Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing (181) Domain III, competency 010
A teacher shows deaf third graders that a science passage is built as cause and effect, and has them use that pattern to recall what they read. Which recommendation of the federal practice guide on reading comprehension in the early grades is this?Institute of Education Sciences, What Works Clearinghouse, Improving Reading Comprehension in Kindergarten Through 3rd Grade. Written to TExES Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing (181) Domain III, competency 011
Each week a teacher and a deaf student write back and forth in a notebook about the student's experiences, and the teacher replies to what the student says instead of grading it. What is this practice called?Wikipedia, Dialogue journal. Written to TExES Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing (181) Domain III, competency 011
For students who are deaf or hard of hearing, what does the Texas Education Code's definition of 'English' take in?Texas Education Code §29.301, Definitions. Written to TExES Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing (181) Domain III, competency 010
Printed English is an alphabetic code. Which term names the predictable relationship between letters and spoken sounds on which that code rests?Wikipedia, Alphabetic principle. Written to TExES Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing (181) Domain III, competency 012
The professional environment 10
A deaf student spends most of the day in general education classes. What does the Texas Education Code say about the general education personnel who work with her?Texas Education Code §29.304, Qualifications of Personnel. Written to TExES Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing (181) Domain IV, competency 013
According to the Texas Education Code, who must be involved in determining the extent, content and purpose of programs for a student who is deaf or hard of hearing?Texas Education Code §29.306, Familial and Advocate Involvement. Written to TExES Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing (181) Domain IV, competency 014
The Texas statewide plan for children who are deaf or hard of hearing must provide for effective interaction between the classroom and the child's home. What does the Education Code say that includes?Texas Education Code §30.002, State Plan for Children With Visual Impairments, Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing, or Who Are Deaf-Blind. Written to TExES Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing (181) Domain IV, competency 014
Under Texas special education rules, who must provide interpreting services for students who are deaf when certification in the language mode is available?19 Texas Administrative Code §89.1131, Qualifications of Special Education, Related Service, and Paraprofessional Personnel (Legal Information Institute copy). Written to TExES Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing (181) Domain IV, competency 015
What does the term audism, coined by Tom Humphries in 1975, refer to?Wikipedia, Audism. Written to TExES Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing (181) Domain IV, competency 013
What does the Texas Education Code require a school district to do about the effectiveness of its services for students who are deaf or hard of hearing?Texas Education Code §29.313, Evaluation of Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services. Written to TExES Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing (181) Domain IV, competency 013
What does the Texas Education Code require of a teacher of students who are deaf or hard of hearing with respect to the students' language modes?Texas Education Code §29.304, Qualifications of Personnel. Written to TExES Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing (181) Domain IV, competency 015
Which description of the Texas School for the Deaf matches the Texas Education Code?Texas Education Code §30.051, Purpose of Texas School for the Deaf. Written to TExES Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing (181) Domain IV, competency 015
Which philosophy of deaf education teaches students through spoken language, using lip reading and speech in place of sign?Wikipedia, Oralism. Written to TExES Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing (181) Domain IV, competency 013
Which statement about the history of the Texas School for the Deaf in Austin is correct?Wikipedia, Texas School for the Deaf. Written to TExES Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing (181) Domain IV, competency 013
How this list was compiled: Our own questions, written to the exam framework of TExES Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing (181) in Section 3 of the preparation manual on the Texas Educator Certification Examination Program website, https://www.tx.nesinc.com/Content/StudyGuide/TX_SG_obj_181.htm (copyright Texas Education Agency), read 2026-10-15: 100 selected-response questions in four domains, Understanding Students Who Are Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing about 27%, Promoting Student Learning and Development 33%, Promoting Student Achievement in English Language Arts and Reading 20%, Understanding the Professional Environment 20%. This bank holds 50 in those shares: 13, 17, 10 and 10. Every fact was read on the public page named under its question, each opened 2026-10-15: the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), the federal special education regulations (34 CFR Part 300, eCFR), the Texas Education Code, Chapter 29, Subchapter I and Chapter 30, in the legislature's current text with the amendments that took effect on 20 June 2025, the Texas Administrative Code (19 TAC §89.1040 and §89.1131, Legal Information Institute copy, compared with the Texas Education Agency's own file of the rules), the Federal Communications Commission, the Institute of Education Sciences and 16 Wikipedia articles, each named under its question. Twenty of the 50 questions rest on Texas statute or rule. Licence: Questions, choices and explanations are original work of this site.
How it works
A free TExES Deaf and Hard of Hearing EC-12 practice test: 50 questions written for this site on the four domains of exam 181. It is unofficial and not affiliated with or endorsed by the Texas Education Agency or Pearson.
Read the full guide
What exam 181 asks
Promoting Student Learning and Development is about 33% of the exam and Understanding Students Who Are Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing 27%. English Language Arts and Reading and the Professional Environment are 20% each. In this bank that is 17, 13, 10 and 10 questions.
Format
Exam 181 asks 100 selected-response questions in 4 hours 45 minutes of testing, within a 5-hour appointment. The timed round here allows 142 minutes for 50.
Texas law in the bank
Twenty questions come from Texas law: the Education Code on students who are deaf or hard of hearing (Chapter 29, Subchapter I, and Chapter 30), read with the amendments that took effect in June 2025, and the eligibility and interpreter rules (19 TAC §89.1040 and §89.1131).
Facts about hearing were checked at the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders. They are for exam study, not medical advice.
Questions and answers
Is exam 181 the TExES Deaf and Hard of Hearing EC-12 test?
Yes. The program lists it as Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing (181), without the grade span in the name, and its framework says the questions range from grades EC–12.
Is there a study guide for TExES Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing 181?
The program's free preparation manual is the official one. Its Section 3 sets out four domains and 15 competencies, and every answer on this page names the competency it was written to.
Does the TExES 181 exam test sign language?
Not by signing. Every question on exam 181 is selected-response, on a computer. The program lists the Texas Assessment of Sign Communication (TASC) and TASC–ASL separately, as assessments in an interview format.
Are these questions from the real TExES 181?
No. All 50 are our own, each written from one competency and one public source. Nothing was taken from the exam or from the sample questions in the manual.
What score passes TExES Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing?
The exam's page gives a passing score of 240. It is a scaled score and some questions may be unscored, so the number right in a practice round is not a result.