Research examining interactions between mothers and children with hear
ing loss was reviewed from a dialectical perspective. Although dyads w
ith shared hearing status (i.e., in which mother and child are both de
af or both hearing) use many similar and effective strategies for init
iating and maintaining interactions, dyads of hearing mothers and chil
dren who are deaf are often characterized by asynchrony, excessive mat
ernal control, and child dependence. A variety of strategies was ident
ified by which deaf mothers accommodate their children's need for visu
al language input. II is proposed that an intervention approach emphas
izing these strategies is more effective than focusing on the shortcom
ings of children with hearing loss. Several strategies aimed at promot
ing child participation and language development are suggested.