<human>: Can you condense the text into a few key points?

I started seeing this girl exclusively about a months ago - she's kind, pretty, and funny, and I enjoy being around her. The only problem is that she is extremely timid and quiet. If I ask her a question or say something to her, we can have a good, thoughtful, conversation. But if I don't initiate conversation, I sometimes feel like we just won't talk.

She rarely asks me questions or talks about her feelings - and when she does, she apologizes. I tell her that I like when she tells me things and asks me things, but she just chuckles through her nose (it's her self-defense mechanism). 

It goes beyond being indecisive - I sometimes feel like she's just a passenger who's coming along for the ride. I want to get her to tell/ask/show me things, vent to me, and just show some emotion in general, but I don't want her to feel like I'm trying to change her as a person. 

Should I just accept that this is the kind of person she is? Or is there a conversation I can have with her that will tactfully get her to participate more in the relationship?
<bot>: Dating shy girl who doesn't initiate anything (conversation, physical stuff, etc.) - how do I get her to participate more in the relationship?