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Purpose: This scoping study sought to establish a baseline for how well the needs of children with cortical visual impairment (CVI) who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) are currently aligned with the services available to them. CVI is the most common cause of visual impairment in children today, and AAC methods rely heavily on vision. Yet, the prevalence of CVI in children who use AAC methods is not yet known, and there is virtually no research concerning use of AAC with children with CVI. Our overarching goals were to identify barriers and suggest priorities for improving outcomes for these children. Method: Surveys were distributed anonymously online to professionals from multiple disciplines in different school-based settings and to parents of children with CVI who use AAC. Results: School-based professionals identified many barriers, including a lack of knowledge and skills about CVI and about AAC, limited access to training and experts, and concerns about services being delivered in isolated silos with limited time allotted for interprofessional collaboration and planning. Parent reported that their children (Mage = 11 years) continued to rely predominantly on body-based forms of communication and lacked access to symbolic language, which, in AAC, is primarily visually based. Conclusions: The barriers to services identified by schoolbased professionals indicate a need to develop and disseminate reliable information about CVI and AAC, both at a preservice and in-service level and, while doing so, to respect the diversity of stakeholders who need this information, including parents. Future research on what types of AAC approaches support the development of language and communication skills for children with CVI is essential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although research has been conducted regarding policing in China and the USA, few researchers have compared and contrasted the similarities and differences between policing in the two countries. In our study, we examined how overextended working hours can impact a police department's officers and personnel as well as affect the physical and psychological health that impairs the safety of police and the public in China and the USA. Given that Karoshi (death from overwork) among a variety of occupational groups is commonly recognised in Japan, China and other countries, the authors contend that the problem also exists in policing - one of the most public working groups; thus, this issue should be of great public concern that warrants further examination and discussion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]