This review of theoretical and research literature develops a rationale for morphographic analysis as a principal compo- nent of instruction on word identification for deaf students. The word identification process is conceptualized with re- gard to visually accessible morphographic components of text, including definition of the variables involved in morpho- graphic analysis. Evidence accumulated from varied sources is presented to support this rationale for another approach to reading with deaf students. The conclusion outlines implica- tions for instructional intervention and for future research. Word identification as an integral component of text de- coding is, in turn, a critical component of comprehen- sion. As Gough, Juel, and Griffith (1992) note: “[T]he reader is simply one who can recognize words and com- prehend them.” They describe how preliterate children are already skilled in using words (e.g., to follow direc- tions, understand what is read to them), and the au- thors conclude that the real task in learning to read is to learn to recognize already known words in printed form. Recognition, unfortunately, is no simple task. The megapompous technocrat’s spouting of polysyllabic terminology demoralized the septuagenarian’s genealogical convocation. As should be clear after this example, the task for a reader is to scrutinize text and decipher its elements into identifiable, meaningful forms. When a printed word is recognized through association(s) in the read- er’s mental lexicon, its meanings become available to the reader. Subsequently, this information from the lexicon interacts with other components, including the specific context, to conclude a meaning for the text. Word identification is the term used to denote that ac- tivity in which the reader engages to move from printed forms on a page to meanings within the inter- nal lexicon. There is evidence of substantial morpho- logical contribution to word recognition at both the perceptual and lexical terminuses of the process. (Con- sider carefully how you deciphered the words from the above example.) I would like to develop morphological sensitivity within the word identification process as a foundation for early decoding instruction with deaf readers. The first section of this article conceptualizes the word identification process with regard to visually accessible morphographic components and defines the variables involved in morphographic analysis of text. The second section provides evidence to support this rationale for another approach to reading with deaf students. The final sections outline implications for in- structional intervention and for future research. Word Identification and Morphographic Analysis Just and Carpenter (1992) conducted experiments which demonstrated that poor efficiency in one area of I thank Patricia DeCaro, Ronald Kelly, Peter Paul, and Barbara Schirmer for their comments on earlier versions of this article. Correspondence should be sent to Martha Gonter Gaustad, Division of Intervention Services, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH 43403 (e-mail: mgausta@bgnet.bgsu.edu). 2000 Oxford University Press Morphographic Analysis as a Word Identification Strategy for Deaf Readers Martha Gonter Gaustad Bowling Green State University