Luckly you have a 96 so you can key dance to see if it is throwing any codes, your not going to see the cel unless the car is running but the key dance is done with the car off so you will be fine.

For the problem, if there is no cel do the major checks, fuel, spark, compresson. If you have all of thoses chances are its going to be electrical.

 

Incase you dont know what a key dance is

http://www.2g nt.com/nuke/modules.php?name=Sections&op=viewarticle&artid=8

 

Could also be that the timing belt is gone. How many miles on it? I had almost the exact same thing happen to me. The engine seems to be trying to turn over, but never fires.