Collection of Information Submitted for OMB Review

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

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

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