In March, 2009, Suite101 conducted an online interview with Michelle J, founder of StartASL.com, a free online ASL learning site.
California State University Northridge
Michelle got her first exposure to ASL in Junior High School when she became friends with a deaf student. “I was dying to learn ASL,” she said. “I started taking classes at the local community college when I was 13 years old.” After high school, Michelle attended California State University, Northridge where she majored in Deaf Studies. “CSUN is second in the nation, next to Gallaudet, for their Deaf Studies program.” She graduated with a Bachelor’s in Deaf Studies with an emphasis in Teaching.
Two Forms of Sign Language Taught in Classes
Michelle has a strong preference for ASL over PSE (Pidgin Signed English). PSE is not a true language, but a blend of ASL and manually coded English. PSE is growing in popularity for common use since it’s structurally more like spoken English making it easier for signers to speak and sign at the same time (Total Communication).
“These days, it is very difficult to sign pure ASL because of how much English has infiltrated in the language. I am constantly breaking the habits of Pidgin that I have learned so that I can sign the language of ASL the way it's supposed to be.”
As a former Sign Language interpreter, Michelle soon realized that career was not for her. “It takes a very strong person to be an Interpreter,” she says “and I give a lot of credit to all of them.”
The Birth of a Web Course
When Michelle was 13 and looking for a way to learn ASL online, there weren’t any real options. The Internet offered many dictionaries, but they are limited as a teaching resource. Dictionaries have no way to teach correct grammar and syntax of a language. Adult education and college courses were the only real options.
After graduation from CSUN, online opportunities hadn’t improved much. Those that were available typically charged for the services. Thinking of the many people, youth and adult alike, who wanted to learn even basic levels of American Sign Language, Michelle felt money shouldn’t be a hindrance. “I believe that anyone who wants to learn ASL should not be held back by time or money constraints. So, I decided to use my degree, do something I love, give people the free resource that I always wanted.”
With the help of her filmmaker husband, Rich, and easy-to-use webpage building companies like Site Build It!, StartASL was born.
ASL Classes Published before Accident
And it’s growing. Michelle and Rich do all the production for StartASL themselves. As of January 2009, ASL 1 Units 1-8 were complete with six more to go in ASL 1 and two more levels for ASL 2 & 3. Five units of Fingerspelling were also complete. Unfortunately, about the time ASL 1 unit 8 was filmed and ready, Michelle had an accident and broke their camera.
Plans to finish the lesson schedule are on hold, but not forgotten. “Until we can save up to buy a new video camera, I won't be able to upload any more units,” she says on her website. “I have just hit a small bump in the road.”
Deaf Signers Needed
In the mean time, there’s a lot of work to be done. Despite her boundless energy and love of teaching ASL, Michelle could use some backup. There’s room to grow and involve more people. “With more help, the site would have more lessons, the students would be able to learn from more than one signer, and maybe they would even be able to learn from a Deaf person – which is the most ideal.”
Despite the challenges, setbacks and day to day stresses of running her own business, Michelle keeps on going, taking each day as it comes. And if there’s no one else pitching in, “it doesn't matter,” she says. “I love what I do, and if I have to do it alone, I’ll still have fun doing it!”
Elizabeth Linehan - Elizabeth studied American Sign Language at Brigham Young University. She has worked with hearing impaired and multipli-handicapped ...
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