School Districts Nationwide Choose Inspiration® and Kidspiration® as Systemwide, Cross-Curricular Instructional Tools

Philadelphia, Boston and Anne Arundel County Among Districts to Offer All Students Access to Visual Learning Software Through New Comprehensive Licensing Program

PORTLAND, OR — April 8, 2004
Inspiration Software®, Inc. announced today that leading school districts across the country will now offer all students and teachers access to the visual learning software programs Inspiration® and Kidspiration® through the company's new comprehensive licensing program. This spring, the School District of Philadelphia, Boston Public Schools and Maryland's Anne Arundel County Public Schools are among the districts that will install the visual learning software programs on all instructional computers based on Inspiration Software's new licensing option. This volume-licensing program provides school systems with a cost-effective way to ensure that Inspiration and Kidspiration are available for learning across the curriculum along with the confidence that all copies are properly licensed.

"We realized that Inspiration and Kidspiration were becoming standard learning tools in many school districts and educators were asking us for a way to easily offer districtwide access," said Mona Westhaver, president and co-founder, Inspiration Software. "Our new comprehensive licensing program is designed to allow districts to efficiently provide access to and manage our software so that students and teachers in all grades and subjects can use visual learning to understand difficult concepts, support the writing process and build thinking skills."

School District of Philadelphia
Starting in March 2004, all new computers purchased by the School District of Philadelphia will come pre-loaded with Inspiration and Kidspiration, and the visual learning software tools will be installed on the district’s pre-existing computers. Outside of Microsoft software, Inspiration Software's products are the first productivity software the district has purchased pre-loaded on its computers.

"Our decision to purchase Inspiration and Kidspiration through comprehensive licensing was made in response to teacher demand, and on the fact that these products were specifically chosen to be used as graphic organizers in our standard curriculum," said Vincent DeTolla, director, educational technology group, School District of Philadelphia. "Teachers throughout the district recognize the value of visual learning as a tool to teach thinking skills and build comprehension."

Boston Public Schools
Serving 60,300 students, Boston Public Schools is licensing Inspiration and Kidspiration for its nearly 14,000 computers in 139 schools. The district believes in providing teachers and students with technology tools that increase productivity and comprehension.

"Our district's philosophy is that technology should allow the user to do something easily that couldn't be done as well or at all without it," said Ann Grady, district technology coordinator, Boston Public Schools. "Inspiration and Kidspiration offer our teachers a tool for engaging students in learning across the curriculum and, ultimately, increasing comprehension and achievement."

Anne Arundel County Public Schools
As the fifth-largest school system in Maryland, Anne Arundel County Public Schools serves more than 75,000 students in 119 schools. Beginning in April 2004, all 15,500 computers in the system will have access to Inspiration and Kidspiration software.

"The new Inspiration Software comprehensive license will allow us a cost-effective way to ensure that our students can use visual learning software to brainstorm, organize, plan and create in all curriculum areas regardless of grade level," said Joe Hebler, manager of technology for the school system.

Other school districts taking advantage of Inspiration Software's comprehensive licensing include Flint Community Schools, Flint, Mich., and Hurst-Euless-Bedford Independent School District, Bedford, Texas.

For more information about Inspiration Software's comprehensive licensing or cumulative licensing programs, email licenseinfo@inspiration.com or call 800-877-4292.

About Inspiration Software, Inc.
Recognized 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, organize, plan and create. With more than 10 million users worldwide, the company's award-winning software is revolutionizing visual learning in education—inspiring students to develop strong thinking and organizational 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.