[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 53 (Monday, March 18, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11065-11066]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-6302]



-----------------------------------------------------------------------


NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION

Collection of Information Submission for OMB Review; Comments 
Requested by April 19, 1996

Title of Proposed Collection, ``Study of Persons with Disabilities 
Majoring in Science, Engineering, Mathematics, and Technology (SEMT)
    In compliance with the requirement of Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, on November 15, 1995, Federal Register 
No. 220, page 57458, the National Science Foundation (NSF) published, 
for public comment, a proposed collection of information, ``Study of 
Persons with Disabilities Majoring in Science, Engineering, 
Mathematics, and Technology (SEMT).'' No public comments were received. 
The collection of information is now being forwarded to the Office of 
Management and Budget for consideration. Comments on the proposed data 
collection plans and instruments may be directed to OMB at the 
following address: Office of Management and Budget, IRA, ATTN.: 
Jonathan Winer, New Executive Office Building, Room 3208, Washington, 
DC 20503.
    Written Comments should be received by April 19, 1996.
    Abstract: 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 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 of different types of postsecondary education 
institutions (research universities, 4-year colleges, disability-
friendly universities, and community colleges.) At each institution 
there groups of student will be surveyed;

[[Page 11066]]
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 faculty toward students with disabilities. The 
project is planned as a one-time data collection that will occur in the 
spring of 1996.
    Response time: There are 1675 respondents with an average of 25 
minutes per response.

    Dated: March 11, 1996.
Herman G. Fleming,
NSF Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 96-6302 Filed 3-15-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7555-01-M