Inspiration Features 

 Diagram View
Students develop a visual representation of the relationships between ideas or concepts by creating diagrams such as webs, idea maps and concept maps.

• Add pictures and symbols to represent ideas and information. Use Inspiration's RapidFire® tool to brainstorm ideas and capture thoughts with or without automatic links to symbols.
• Link symbols to show relationships between ideas.
• Organise ideas using the Arrange tool or use AutoArrange to automatically format the diagram as new thoughts are added.

 Mind mapping environment
Students follow the natural process of building a mind map to visually represent concepts with branches of associated thought.

• Add new branches to represent ideas with one click. Use the RapidFire tool to quickly add a series of ideas.
• Use symbols, colours and text to create maps resembling hand drawn maps.
• Show connections among branches with the Relationship tool.
• Format and move branches as a single unit.

 Outline View
Integrated Outline View makes it easy for students to organise and structure information for writing. Transform a diagram or mind map to an outline with one click.

• Add topics and subtopics to expand ideas.
• Organise and arrange thoughts by dragging topics-subtopics move automatically.
• Develop ideas by adding up to 15 pages of notes for each topic.

Get started easily with intuitive toolbars
Smart toolbars keep major Inspiration functions at students' fingertips. The fully indexed and searchable help system provides answers to Inspiration-related questions.

 
Diagram View toolbar

Mind mapping toolbar

Outline View toolbar

Diagram View and Mind map view formatting Toolbar

Find a symbol for every idea
With access to more than 1 million symbols, students can find just the right symbol with Inspiration's online collection of searchable symbols including illustrations and photographs, offering students safe image choices to represent concepts and ideas.

Integrate video and sound

Use multimedia to create more engaging and informed projects. Students insert and play video and sound, such as QuickTime® movies and MP3 files, right in Inspiration. Students can also record their own audio and attach it to a symbol or topic.

Jumpstart projects with templates

60 templates
More than 60 templates get students started on assignments quickly by providing frameworks for gathering information and organising ideas. Templates include English, science, humanities, thinking skills and planning topics.

Template Wizard
Create customised visual learning activities. The Template Wizard walks teachers step-by-step through designing or modifying templates to support any curriculum area. Custom symbol libraries may be created and saved with templates for easy sharing with other computers. Teachers can also limit the symbol library for targeted study.

Flexible template access
Teachers can use and share templates with ease. Templates can be stored and launched from any location, making them readily available for students and teachers.

Start writing with visually integrated notes
Use visually integrated notes to add detailed information to any topic. By visually integrating notes into a diagram or mind map, students can expand ideas and begin the writing process. Notes are then automatically recorded and added to the integrated outline to streamline the writing process.

Write with clarity and accuracy
Students write with clarity and build vocabulary using the Word Guide, an innovative dictionary and thesaurus. Information-including parts of speech, definitions and synonyms-is displayed in a familiar way to help students quickly find and choose words with precision.

Enrich projects with research and hyperlinks
Inspiration's drag-and-drop capabilities make it easy to insert text, graphics, video and sound files directly into Inspiration documents.
Use the Hyperlink tool to integrate resources from the Internet or link other files to further enhance projects or to create portfolios.

Create a website from an Inspiration document
With the Site Skeleton® export, students can transform a diagram or mind map into the foundation of a web site, including a clickable home page. Each symbol or topic becomes a separate page in the web site.

Turn Inspiration documents into robust final projects
Students can use Inspiration's Transfer tool to transfer work directly to a word processor to complete the writing process. The Transfer tool automatically launches Microsoft® Word or AppleWorks®.

Work with emerging technologies
Enhanced compatibility with interactive whiteboards, Wacom tablets and Tablet PCs Shape and handwriting recognition allow students to sketch symbols and links and write directly on most stylus-based systems.