Inspiration Software Launches Inspiration 8 the Essential Tool for Visual Learning with a New Mind Mapping Environment

New Inspiration Version 8 Develops Thinking Skills and Helps Students Plan, Research and Complete Projects

Inspiration Software^® today launched Inspiration^® 8, International English Edition, the visual way to think and learn. Inspiration 8 is the essential learning tool used by students of all learning styles and abilities to develop critical thinking, planning and organisational skills for lifelong learning and achievement. Inspiration 8 introduces new innovative features designed specifically to enhance the learning process across the curriculum. With three unique learning environments, students can build diagrams, outlines and now mind maps to visually represent their thoughts and ideas.

"The first education specific version of Inspiration developed with educator feedback debuted nearly 10 years ago and today is used by more than 15 million students worldwide. Inspiration 8 continues that tradition by incorporating requests from educators for additional tools and functions, such as the new mind mapping environment" said Mona Westhaver, president and co-founder, Inspiration Software. Many of the new enhancements were a result of feedback from our international educators.

Inspiration 8 is a powerful new learning tool, designed specifically for international markets, that includes:

• Three unique learning environments
  Inspiration supports multiple learning styles. Within the new mind mapping environment, students follow the natural process of building a mind map to represent a concept or idea with branches of associated thoughts. In the Diagram View, students brainstorm new ideas and arrange thoughts by creating visual diagrams. The integrated Outline View makes it easy for students to organise and structure their information for writing.
• Access to more than one million symbols to visualise ideas
  As students use Inspiration 8 to build diagrams and mind maps, they search a collection of more than one million online symbols to find just the right image to represent a concept. In addition, they can now insert and play video and sound to enrich projects and lessons.
• Innovative dictionary, thesaurus and spell checker
  The Word Guide, an innovative dictionary and thesaurus, helps students to choose words with more precision and to build vocabulary. A contextual spell checker and added editing features streamline the revision process.
• A library of more than 60 cross-curricular templates
  Students and teachers can now quickly start assignments selecting from more than 60 templates designed to support all subject areas.
• On-Demand training videos
  Teachers and students can become familiar with Inspiration's many features by watching one of the easy to access training videos that are incorporated into the software.

In an effort to encourage new ways to expand thinking and learning across the curriculum, Inspiration also has products for Primary Schools and for handhelds. Kidspiration^® is a visual learning tool for primary pupils, and provides a natural, intuitive way to help emerging readers and writers begin to categorise and organise their thoughts and information.

Inspiration^® for Palm OS^® and Inspiration for Windows Mobile/ Pocket PC^® powered PDAs, combine the learning benefits of Inspiration with the ease of handheld devices, making learning for pupils portable and easy to use.

About Inspiration Software, Inc.

Recognised as the leader in visual thinking and learning, Inspiration Software, Inc., develops and publishes innovative software tools that inspire learners of all ages to brainstorm, organise, plan and create. With more than 15 million users worldwide, the company's award-winning software is revolutionising visual learning in education—inspiring students to develop strong thinking and organisational skills and improve their academic performance. Founded by Donald Helfgott and Mona Westhaver, the company's mission is to support improvements in education and make a positive difference in students' lives by providing software tools that help students learn to think.