Learning systems for kids · BURST.PLUS™ · Canonical Partner
Digital Education Systems does two things. We build reading, maths and learning programs for children — in mainstream schools, at home, and for students with complex needs. And we build BURST.PLUS™, a school operating system that revives the laptops schools already own instead of sending them to landfill. We're now a Canonical Partner, so BURST.PLUS™ sits on the same Ubuntu foundation trusted by governments and enterprises worldwide.
Our mission
We develop learning systems for kids. Reading and maths programs, learning games, a complete homeschool environment, and assistive communication tools for children with cerebral palsy and other complex needs. Software written with classroom teachers and tested in real schools — built to meet learners where they are.
And we develop BURST.PLUS™ to keep old computers going. A purpose-built, Ubuntu-based school operating system that turns the laptops a school already owns into secure, modern classroom devices — for a fraction of the cost of replacing them. As a Canonical Partner, we build on the foundation Ubuntu provides and back it with our own school-focused support.
Everything else we do — cybersecurity with Red Piranha, accessibility, sustainability advocacy — exists to serve those two things. The right software shouldn't depend on the size of a school's budget, and the most sustainable piece of technology is the one you already have.
Roughly 80% of a laptop's carbon footprint is generated before it ever reaches a classroom.On embodied carbon and the case for device longevity
What we do
Every product we make is either a learning system for children or part of BURST.PLUS™ — the operating system that lets schools run those learning systems on the hardware they already have.
Learning support software
Programs written for students who struggle with reading and maths. Tools that meet learners where they are — built with classroom teachers and tested in real schools.
Play that teaches
Educational games that make literacy, numeracy and problem-solving genuinely engaging. Designed to work in the classroom and at the kitchen table.
Everything in one place
A complete software environment for home educators — curriculum tools, learning programs and the technology backbone to run it all. One system, properly set up.
Hardware others write off
Repurposed devices turned into communication tools for children with cerebral palsy and other complex needs — giving students a voice in the classroom and at home.
School Operating System · Built on Ubuntu · Canonical Partner
A purpose-built, low-cost operating system that keeps old computers going. BURST.PLUS™ revives laptops that can no longer run the latest proprietary software, replaces costly licensing, and gives Australian classrooms a secure, modern platform to run our learning systems on — backed by our Canonical partnership.
In partnership with Red Piranha
Defence-grade cybersecurity built for Australian schools — making enterprise-level protection accessible to institutions of every size and budget.
We're always writing the next program for the kids who need it most. This space is reserved for what we'll launch next.
New releases and Canonical-backed capabilities are in the pipeline. Drop us a line if you'd like an early conversation.
Real-world impact
We turn hardware others write off into communication tools for children with cerebral palsy and other disabilities — giving them a voice in the classroom and at home.
Running BURST.PLUS™ on donated hardware, we built a fully functioning classroom of 20 laptops for $2,000 in Australia. Schools that can't compete on procurement can still compete on outcomes.
A complete software system that lets families run a serious learning program without enterprise budgets or specialist technical expertise.
Expensive doesn't mean better. We build practical, open-source alternatives to proprietary systems — same results, fraction of the cost.
The challenge
The majority of a device's lifetime carbon footprint is created during manufacturing, before it's ever switched on. Every year you extend the life of a device, you amortise that upfront cost.
An estimated 240 million computers globally cannot run the latest operating systems — not because they've worn out, but because software requirements moved on and left functional hardware behind.
Schools in regional and lower-income communities bear the greatest burden of forced hardware cycling — and the students who most need access are the ones who lose it.
Speaking engagements
ICC Sydney · School Infrastructure Stream
From e-waste to equity: rethinking the role of technology in Australian schoolsGet in touch
For schools, home educators, partners and speaking enquiries — we'd love to hear what you're working on.
PO Box 2420
Canberra ACT 2601
Australia