Inspiration X 8.0 review
DownloadInspiration is a powerful visual thinking tool that helps clarify and organize ideas and information.
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Inspiration is a powerful visual thinking tool that helps clarify and organize ideas and information.
Inspiration's Diagram view makes it easy to brainstorm, plan and explain the interrelationships between processes, variables and events.
Use it to create concept maps, process flows, knowledge maps, flowcharts and other visual diagrams. Inspiration's integratedOutline view helps create clear, concise written proposals and reports. The symbols, templates and example files in Inspiration Professional Edition were designed specifically for diagramming, outlining, flowcharting, knowledge mapping, brainstorming, systems thinking and multimedia design.
Here are some key features of "Inspiration":
In the Diagram View you can:
Capture ideas as quickly as you think with the RapidFire® tool.
Add as little or as much text as you want — symbols grow automatically to record your thoughts.
Illustrate ideas and convey meanings by inserting symbols from the web or other applications using the insert graphic, drag & drop, or copy & paste functions.
Show relationships between ideas with the Link tool.
Explain relationships between ideas by adding text directly on the links.
Rearrange symbols by dragging without breaking links.
Differentiate among ideas with colors, shapes, patterns, shadows, fonts and styles.
Bring writing power with visually integrated notes.
Explore multiple main ideas simultaneously.
Transform a diagram into an outline instantly!
With the simple click of your mouse, you can transform an Inspiration diagram into a traditional hierarchical outline. In the powerful Outline View, students can quickly prioritize and rearrange ideas, helping them create clear, concise essays, reports and more.
Use the Outline View to:
Organize topics by dragging — subtopics move automatically.
Plan projects and track ideas using the Checklist feature. Simply mark off completed items in either the Diagram or Outline View.
Develop topics into a written report using notes text.
Export your outline to popular word processing or presentation programs.
Toolbars make using Inspiration intuitive!
Diagram Toolbar
Outline Toolbar
Formatting Toolbar
Major Inspiration functions are at your fingertips with our smart toolbars. No need to memorize keyboard shortcuts or search through menu items to find features — just click on the toolbar and keep working! If you do have a question or problem, our fully indexed and searchable help system provides answers to all your Inspiration questions.
One click to word processing
Inspiration's one-click transfer instantly moves students' work to their favorite word processor. After working in Inspiration to brainstorm, organize and outline, students then use Microsoft® Word® or AppleWorks® to finish the writing process and prepare their paper for publication.
Simplified template integration
Inspiration sparks teacher creativity with inspiring new ways to design and use templates . . . the fastest way to introduce visual learning and Inspiration to students in all subjects, including language arts, science and social studies.
Template Wizard - Create customized visual learning activities! The Template Wizard gives teachers step-by-step help for designing templates to support any curriculum area.
Flexible template access - Use and share templates with ease! Templates can be stored and launched from any location, making them readily available for students and teachers.
60+ templates - Quickly integrate visual learning into your classroom! A wealth of ideas from across the curriculum inspires students and teachers to plan, organize and create.
Symbols at your fingertips
Inspiration contains over 1,300 colorful, high-resolution symbols, including several hundred photographic quality images and animated symbols. Students just scroll through the floating symbol palette to find exactly the right shape to express their thoughts. And, if you want to customize your work, you can recolorize an existing symbol or import images from other applications and the Internet.
Click here to download a PDF of the Inspiration symbol guide. To view this file you may need to install Adobe Acrobat Reader.
Audio supports multiple learning styles
Students can hear work read aloud or record their own words, adding a new dimension to their projects. A talking interface increases accessibility for all learners.
Direct connection to the Internet
You can set up live hyperlinks in Inspiration and tie the immense resources of the Internet into your diagrams and outlines. Just type in a web address and Inspiration automatically creates a hyperlink. You can also create web pages with URL hyperlinks through the HTML export function and drag & drop JEPG and GIF images into Inspiration diagrams straight from the web!
Gather and present information from multiple sources, including documents created in Inspiration or any other application, by hyperlinking to any file.
Compatibility with Inspiration® for Palm OS®
Sync to and from Inspiration for Palm OS, the handheld tool to develop ideas and organize thinking. Expand and enhance diagrams created on the handheld, or transfer projects to the handheld for on-the-go visual thinking and learning!
Support of emerging technologies
Inspiration 7.6 offers enhanced capability with interactive whiteboards and Tablet PCs. Shape and handwriting recognition make it possible to sketch symbols and write text directly on whiteboards such as Promethean ACTIV board, so teachers can work efficiently and students can participate easily. Toolbars may be moved to the bottom of the screen for easy access by all students. See a QuickTime® movie of the new interactive whiteboard capabilities. Click here if you need to install QuickTime®.
Web site planning made easy
Build the bones of a new web site with the Site Skeleton® export. Each symbol becomes a separate web page, complete with appropriate hyperlinks. Inspiration even creates a site map for you.
Limitations:
30-day trial
What's New:
Inspiring new thinking tools
Inspiration 7.6 gives students and educators broader and deeper ways to explore, organize and develop ideas.
Visually integrated notes
Writing power comes to diagrams! Students can start their writing process within the visual environment. By adding notes right in their diagrams, students can document research, describe content and add detailed information to projects.
Enhanced hyperlinking
Information from multiple sources is easy to gather, manage and present. Students can tie research and other resources into projects with hyperlinks to all types of files.
Audio capabilities
Tap into multiple learning styles! Students can hear work read aloud or record their own words, adding a new dimension to their projects. A talking interface increases accessibility for all learners.
Multiple main ideas
Brainstorm with no limitations. Students can freely explore multiple ideas simultaneously as they brainstorm, analyze and organize their thoughts.
Inviting, intuitive interface
Inspiration 7.6 includes an easy-to-use interface that is friendly, inviting and open.
Quick Controls
Manage information efficiently. Students control project notes, subtopics and recordings with a click of the mouse.
Formatting toolbar
Instantly change colors, fonts and styling. Handy, accessible formatting options invite students to quickly and conveniently express ideas and organize projects. It's a more natural, more inspired way to work.
Multiple level undo
Explore new ideas confidently. Students freely change information and add ideas, secure in the knowledge that undo and redo options are readily available.
Improved Outline View
Jump into easy, efficient outlining! Students effortlessly organize, prioritize and manipulate information in Inspiration's enhanced Outline View.
Simplified template integration
Inspiration 7.6 sparks teacher creativity with inspiring new ways to design and use templates . . . the fastest way to introduce visual learning and Inspiration to students in all subjects, including language arts, science and social studies.
Template Wizard
Create customized visual learning activities! The Template Wizard gives teachers step-by-step help for designing templates to support any curriculum area.
Flexible template access
Use and share templates with ease! Templates can be stored and launched from any location, making them readily available for students and teachers.
60+ templates
Quickly integrate visual learning into your classroom! A wealth of ideas from across the curriculum inspires students and teachers to plan, organize and create.
Rapid web site creation
Inspiration bridges the gap between students' early ideas and successful web projects.
Site Skeleton™ export
Build the bones of a new web site. Students develop and organize their site concepts, then use the Site Skeleton export to instantly transform their work into HTML.
HTML export options
Share your diagrams and outlines. Quickly convert Inspiration projects into web content with newly redesigned HTML export options.
Support of emerging classroom technologies
Inspiration 7.6 offers enhanced compatibility with new technologies being used in the classroom.
Interactive whiteboards
Shape and handwriting recognition make it possible to sketch symbols and write text directly on whiteboards such as Promethean ACTIV board. Toolbars may be moved to the bottom of the screen for easy access by all students. QuickTime movie of new capabilities. If you need to install QuickTime, click here.
Palm-Powered™ handhelds
Sync to and from Inspiration for Palm OS, the handheld tool to develop ideas and organize thinking. Expand and enhance diagrams created on the handheld, or transfer projects to the handheld for the on-the-go visual thinking and learning!
Tablet PCs and Wacom® Tablets
Shape and handwriting recognition make it possible to sketch symbols and write text directly on the tablet with a stylus.
Improved operational support
Inspiration 7.6 integrates seamlessly into the education computing environment.
Compatibility with Kidspiration®, Inspiration 6 and higher
Support for multiple versions! Students can access and share any Inspiration Software document version 6 or higher. Even Kidspiration documents are compatible!
Mac® OS X compatible
Update your Inspiration! Inspiration 7.6 supports OS X, the latest operating system for the Macintosh®.
Multi-user support
Adapt and customize to match your needs! Students and teachers can easily create their own personal Inspiration preferences without altering network administrator settings.
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