[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 220 (Wednesday, November 15, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 57458-57459]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-28241]



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NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION


Collection of Information Submitted for OMB Review

    In compliance with the requirement of Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 for opportunity for public comment on 
proposed data collection projects, the National Science Foundation 
(NSF) will publish periodic summaries of proposed projects. To request 
more information on the proposed project or to obtain a copy of the 
data collection plans and instruments, call Herman Fleming, NSF 
Clearance Officer at (703) 306-1243.
    Comments are invited on (a) whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of 
the agency, including whether the information shall have practical 
utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the 
proposed collection of information; (c) ways to enhance the quality, 
utility, and clarity of the information on respondents, including 
through the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of 
information technology.

Proposed Project

    Study of Persons with Disabilities Majoring in Science, 
Engineering, Mathematics, and Technology (SEMT). Individuals with 
disabilities do not pursue academic majors in science engineering, 
mathematics and technology in numbers commensurate with their 
prevalence in the population. Further, they are underrepresented among 
individuals who pursue science-oriented careers. This 
underrepresentation in SEMT of students with disabilities represents a 
major loss for both those individuals and the nation's scientific labor 
force. Currently, serious information gaps and contradictory data 
hamper the creation of policy and direction to allow and encourage 
talented young persons with disabilities to pursue careers in SEMT.
    To address this need for information the proposed project has the 
following objectives; (1) To determine the number and demographic 
characteristics of these students. (2) To examine issues related to 
their pursuit of a degree, including research experience, high 

[[Page 57459]]
school preparation, interest in SEMT, choice of college major, 
barriers, use of disability support service, critical incidents, and 
education and career goals. To address the research objectives, the 
proposed project involves an in-depth study of a sample (n=20) of 
different types of postsecondary educational institutions (research 
universities, 4-year colleges, disability-friendly universities, and 
community colleges). At each institution, three groups of students will 
be surveyed: students with disabilities majoring in SEMT, students with 
disabilities majoring in other fields, and students without 
disabilities majoring in SEMT. Interviews with SEMT faculty at each 
institution will also be conducted. This approach will allow for 
exploration of the ways in which students with disabilities majoring in 
SEMT are similar to and different from other groups of students, as 
well as the views of faulty toward students with disabilities. The 
project is planned as a one-time data collection what will occur in the 
spring of 1996. Burden estimates are as follows:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                 Estimated      Total   
           Respondents              Number of     time in       burden  
                                    interviews    minutes      (hours)  
------------------------------------------------------------------------
SEMT students with disabilities..          725           30          363
Non-SEMT students with                                                  
 disabilities....................          375           25          156
SEMT students without                                                   
 disabilities....................          375           25          156
SEMT faculty members.............          200           15           50
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    Send Comments to Herman Fleming, Clearance Officer, National 
Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 485, Arlington, VA 
22230. Written comments should be received by January 15, 1996.

    Dated: November 9, 1995.
Herman G. Fleming,
NSF Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 95-28241 Filed 11-14-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7555-01-M