Spiderscribe

Spiderscribe is an easy-to-use mindmapping application that allows you to upload pictures and documents to enhance your "web". From the site: "It lets you organize your ideas by connecting notes, files, calendar events, etc. in free-form maps. You can collaborate and share those maps online!" Maps can be private or public, and can be a way to marshall resources needed for a presentation. Students simply login to their account and all their material is in one place.

Diagram it online

Take brainstorming to the Web using another cool web based app called Diagram.ly. You can plan for your class writing with Diagram.ly, a cloud-based visualization application. It's mind-mapping with a flow chart twist. Diagramly is free with no registration required.

Popplet - mindmapping plus!

Popplet is an easy-to-use mindmap generator that creates slick conceptual maps. Add images, change the colour and embed your results on your blog or webpage. There is even a "play/presentation" feature that makes your Popplet work like a Prezi. Creations can be exported as image files. Worth taking a look at. 

(Psst: It's also available for iPad in a lite version (free) and a paid version that allows you to create multiple boards, not just one.)

Here's a short Youtube demo.
Here's a sample project (Embedded version below)
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Webbing online

I like the ability to use productivity tools that don't require a software download to work. Webbing is one such example. How many times have I wanted to create a mindmap, but found that Kidspiration hadn't been installed on my PC! The folks at Inspiration have come to the rescue and created a web-based version of their popular program: mywebspiration.com/

While it does require the user to create an account, the functionality is great. It works very much like the software-based version: lots of options and graphics.

Want a complete freebie? Try Bubbl.us. There's no sign-up to try, but then you can't save and come back to your mindmap (unless you create an account, of course!) There are fewer options than webspiration, but for a quick webbing exercise, it does the trick.