The study describes an adapted form of "interactive writing" (McCarrier, Pinnell, & Fountas, 2000) and examines its effectiveness as an approach to beginning writing instruction for young children who are deaf or hard of hearing. Systematic videotape analysis was used to document the content of 45 adapted interactive writing lessons across an academic year. Findings of the study suggest that interactive writing has the potential to support early writing development in young deaf and hard of hearing children, if supplemented by techniques that make the phonology of English visible. (Contains 1 table and 1 figure.)