Beginning when she was only thirteen years old, Michelle Jay has understood her passion and love for ASL. As a hearing person in the Deaf community, Michelle was determined to master everything she could about ASL... not just "how to sign" but the very best ways to learn to sign as well! As the founder of StartASL.com, the leading online resource for ASL and Deaf Culture, Michelle has tremendous insight into this unique community. Michelle earned a Bachelor's Degree in Deaf Studies, with an emphasis in teaching, from one of the nation's premier programs at California State University, Northridge. When not writing books or tending her website, Michelle contributes thought-provoking articles to academic publishers such as Greenhaven Press. Her unique articles have done much to support Deaf Culture, and have been printed in resource publications such as American Chronicle and Perspectives on Diseases & Disorders: Deafness & Hearing Impairments.