In this episode of Around the School Table (www.xuno.com.au/podcast), host Steve Davis is joined by Kirsten Ellis, Associate Professor in the Faculty of Information Technology at Monash University (www.monash.edu/it) to explore how her creation, tape blocks (www.tapeblock.com), is reshaping STEM learning for students of all abilities. These vibrant, foam-based circuit blocks help children build electronic circuits using simple conductive tape—no soldering, no fear, just curiosity and creativity.

Kirsten shares how her journey began with conductive jigsaw puzzles and evolved into a hands-on, accessible STEM resource that empowers every child to create, connect, and collaborate. Designed with inclusivity at its heart, tape blocks allow students with vision or motor skill challenges to build working circuits independently, experiencing both visual and tactile feedback.

The conversation uncovers how Kirsten combines engineering ingenuity with educational insight to spark imagination in classrooms. Teachers can use the blocks to introduce fundamental electronic concepts while promoting teamwork and problem-solving. Colour-coded components—red for power, yellow for switches, green for light or vibration, and blue for fans—make learning intuitive and engaging for mixed-ability classrooms.

Beyond accessibility, the episode explores the broader philosophy of natively built accessible design—creating tools that are inclusive from the start, not adapted as an afterthought. From integrating tape blocks with LEGO and micro:bits to inspiring creative classroom projects, Kirsten demonstrates that inclusive design benefits every learner, not just those with additional needs.

Listeners will also hear how initiatives supported by Google and National Science Week helped bring tape blocks into hundreds of Australian schools, empowering educators to make STEM more tactile, playful, and inclusive.

This episode offers practical inspiration for teachers seeking to blend accessibility with innovation—proving that when creativity meets inclusion, every student can shine.

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Deputy Principal - Education Support, Brent Passchier joins Around the School Table (xuno.com.au/podcasts) to unpack a practical blueprint for inclusive education at Atwell College (atwellcollege.wa.edu.au) in Western Australia. From sensory rooms and hydrotherapy to music programmes and smart use of technology, he explains how schools can widen access without always adding more staff.

The conversation begins with a mindset shift. Instead of “more hands”, Atwell focuses on “valued hands” and clear structures. Education assistants are redeployed to run targeted small-group sessions, which lightens teacher load and deepens impact. Moreover, the college embeds inclusion in the timetable: sensory engagement, literacy groups, and life skills are planned, not improvised.

Atwell’s three-pathway model sits at the core. Centralised learning supports students with higher medical, communication, or sensory needs. The Universal pathway offers a home base for core subjects while encouraging electives in mainstream classes. Meanwhile, students working at typical academic rigour receive needs-based check-ins from inclusive EAs. Consequently, support is flexible and evidence-informed.

Teacher workload is addressed head-on. Simple tech streamlines admin. Furthermore, QR-code workflows trigger assessment adjustments and scheduling, ensuring equitable access with minimal friction. General adjustments; preferential seating, scaffolded templates, and alternative outputs—are normalised. Therefore, teachers can focus on pedagogy, not paperwork.

Peer culture also matters. Health students design expos with differentiated activities, quiet spaces, and AAC options. As a result, learners support learners, and inclusion becomes a whole-school habit. Brent returns to a central theme: value over volume. Programmes succeed when they prioritise what each student needs to participate and progress.

For leaders and teachers, the takeaways are concrete. Start with what already works, then systemise it. Use data to direct FTE, not the other way round. In addition, make collaboration between mainstream and ed support staff routine. Ultimately, Brent shows that inclusion by design can lift outcomes and reduce cognitive load—while keeping passion for teaching front and centre.

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Senior Leader at XUNO Suite (xuno.com.au) and driving force behind the Student Maps platform, Anthony Sacker, joins Around the School Table (xuno.com.au/podcasts) to unpack how DIBELS can move from raw scores to real classroom action. In this interview, we explore how smart visualisations and simple workflows help teachers identify risk early and respond with confidence.

From pronunciation myths to progress monitoring, Anthony explains why consistent screening, clear benchmarks and collaborative review can lift literacy for every learner. First, we demystify DIBELS: what it measures, why it matters and how often to use it across year levels. Then, we shift to practice. Teachers gather accuracy rates, composite scores and fluency checks; however, those numbers only shine when they’re easy to read and share. That’s where student maps come in. With colour-coded results, distribution views and progress-over-time graphs, teams can see who needs intervention, who needs extension and which strategies to try next.

Moreover, Anthony outlines how schools can combine DIBELS with PAT, NAPLAN and other assessments without drowning in spreadsheets. Instead of copy-paste chaos, teachers use a single space to store results, add comments, attach work samples and prepare for handovers. As a result, Year 5 teams begin the year with a clear picture of strengths, gaps and goals. Parents also benefit, because one view shows growth, next steps and expected levels.

Beyond literacy, the episode considers career guidance. When counsellors view longitudinal data, conversations become concrete. Students see the link between habits, skills and aspirations. Meanwhile, leaders gain a dependable way to track cohort trends and evaluate support plans. Crucially, we discuss pace and practicality. Data should help, not hinder. Therefore, the episode focuses on quick wins: setting thresholds, using dashboards, and choosing graphs that tell a story in seconds.

Finally, we cover trials, so schools can try the tools with sample data before committing. If you want a clear path from assessment to action, this episode delivers. And yes, we settle the pronunciation debate early. It’s DIBELS!

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