Webspiration Classroom Takes Top Honors in the 17th Annual Best Educational Software Awards

Inspiration Software's New Online Writing, Visual Thinking and Collaboration Tool Recognized for Helping Students Improve Writing and Thinking Skills

PORTLAND, Ore. – April 13, 2011

Webspiration Classroom™, Inspiration® Software, Inc.'s new online writing, visual thinking and collaboration tool for students and teachers, is a winner in the 17th Annual Best Educational Software (BESSIE) Awards, sponsored by ComputED Learning Center, San Diego's leading computer education resource. This honor is the first award for the newest member of Inspiration Software's family of visual thinking and learning tools, which was launched less than three months ago. The BESSIE Awards target innovative and content-rich programs and websites that provide parents and teachers with technology to foster educational excellence.

Honored in the BESSIE Awards "Thinking Skills" category for high school students, Webspiration Classroom combines the power of visual thinking with innovative collaboration tools, offering students and teachers 24/7 access to an online environment where they can work independently, with their peers and in groups, to develop and strengthen their writing and thinking skills.

"In just the few weeks since the launch of Webspiration Classroom, educators from around the country are already sharing with us the ways that collaborating in the cloud is helping their students build critical thinking and writing skills," said Mona Westhaver, president and co-founder, Inspiration Software. "It is exciting for our new online visual thinking tool to so quickly earn this recognition from the education community."

With Webspiration Classroom, students use visual thinking and outlining techniques to build writing skills and analyze, synthesize and comprehend information anytime, anywhere. With 24/7 access, students can apply proven learning methods such as webbing, concept mapping and graphic organizers at school, at home or anywhere they have access to the Internet, extending their learning time to develop their thinking and writing skills.

With Webspiration Classroom's collaboration tools, students work with their classmates and teachers to create a collective knowledge and develop a stronger understanding of the concepts they are learning. Students actively engage in learning as they collaborate on group projects, share documents for peer review and receive guidance from teachers throughout the entire learning process. Webspiration Classroom incorporates everyone's contributions and feedback in one document, keeping the process organized as students produce and publish their work.

All Webspiration Classroom documents are automatically saved and backed up in the cloud, giving students and teachers 24/7 access to an engaging, safe and reliable online environment for learning, sharing and collaboration. Students can sign in from school, home, the library – anywhere they have Internet access – to work on their assignments and develop group projects. Students can invite each other as well as their teachers to review work and provide feedback on projects. Assignments can be delivered, revised, evaluated and returned online, keeping work accessible and organized. This streamlined work process between teachers and students increases instructional time and keeps students focused on learning.

Webspiration Classroom is available in one-, two- and three-year subscriptions in packages designed for both classrooms and individual educators. Every Webspiration Classroom subscription includes unlimited documents, unlimited collaboration, and anytime, anywhere access. Account subscriptions include access to online support materials, including lesson plans, examples, student resources, a Quick Start Guide, online how-to video tutorials, a Help Center and implementation tools, which allow students and teachers to take full advantage of Webspiration Classroom's capabilities.

More information about Webspiration Classroom is available athttp://www.inspiration.com/webspirationclassroomor by calling 800-877-4292.

For more information about Inspiration Software, visitwww.inspiration.com, become a fan on Facebook athttp://www.facebook.com/InspirationSoftwareor follow on Twitter athttp://twitter.com/InspirationSW. In addition, educators and visual thinkers from around the world can connect and share their passion for learning strategies and education on the company's blog, Thinkspiration, atwww.inspiration.com/blog.

About Inspiration Software, Inc.

Recognized as the leader in visual thinking and learning, Inspiration Software, Inc.'s award-winning tools, Webspiration Classroom, Inspiration®, Kidspiration® and InspireData®, are based on proven visual learning methodologies that help students think, learn and achieve. With the powerful combination of visual learning and technology, students in grades K-12 learn to clarify thoughts, organize and analyze information, integrate new knowledge and think critically. Founded more than 25 years ago by Donald Helfgott and Mona Westhaver, the company's visual learning tools are used today by more than 25 million students and teachers worldwide.