Cerebral laterality was examined for third, fourth, and fifth grade deaf (N=30) and hearing (N=30) Ss. The experimental task involved the processing of word and picture stimuli presented singly to the right and left visual hemifields. The analyses indicated that deaf children were faster than the hearing children in overall processing efficiency, and that they performed differently in regard to hemispheric lateralization. The deaf children processed the stimuli more efficiently in the right hemisphere, while the hearing children demonstrated a left hemisphere proficiency. This finding is discussed in terms of the hypothesis that cerebral lateralization is influenced by auditory processing. (Author)