Fewer key strokes = faster typing.  

Abbreviation expansion, if used correctly, can help increase your typing speed and improve your spelling. 

For effective abbreviation-expansion:

  • always create abbreviations that make sense to you and that you can remember
  • use abbreviations that aren't real words (in most programs)
  • create abbreviations for your longer and more complex frequently used phrases and words
Some programs have abbreviation-expansion built in.  Stand alone abbreviation programs are also available.  This is an up to date list of programs and utilities.

Abbreviation Expansion Programs and Utilities

ActiveWords Instant Text from Textware Solutions

ActiveWords SE and ActiveWords PLUS! Enables word/action associations to be created in several ways.  This is an extremely powerful and diverse program which also includes text substitution  (or abbreviation expansion) capabilities.  Substitutions operate in all Windows® environments and wherever text input is available.  Organized glossaries of text substitutions are available free as ActiveWord Applications.  'Real words can be used as abbreviations!'

  

Instant Text offers very fast text entry with abbreviations that require no memorization, automatic glossary creation and sentence continuation.  This is a stand alone program which works with any word processor. 

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UltimaShell Professional - Shorthand Expander Type Pilot 

UltimaShell Professional Shorthand / Abbreviation Expander.
You can define shorthands (abbreviations) to stand for long phrases. After that, you only need type the shorthand. IntelliComplete will prompt you the full text of all matching shorthands. You can select the desired entry and IntelliComplete will automatically replace the shorthand with its full text.

With Type Pilot, you can type frequently used text fast and easy. You just type a word, and Type Pilot will automatically replace it with a line or a paragraph. Type Pilot is useful for writing standard phrases such as signatures, email addresses, URLs, phone numbers, etc. The program will work with any text editor.

MS Word AutoCorrect 

As-U-Type

MS Word AutoCorrect is a built in feature which allows you to create your own abbreviations and expansions.  These work in Word only.

As-U-Type is a real time spell check and speed typing software that works with all Windows programs.  The software can adapt itself to your typing habits, detect and correct any spelling mistakes as you type and speed typing up.


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Tasker

ShortKeys

Tasker records your mouse and keyboard actions, and then plays them back as many times as you like.  One of the features is 'Short Type' which allows for the creation of abbreviations 
and the expansion.  
 


ShortType Screen

ShortKeys is a utility that allows you to set up replacement text or paragraphs for any given number of user defined keystrokes. ShortKeys monitors the keyboard activity on a global nature and anytime a user defined keystroke combination is typed in, it will be replaced with the replacement text.   ShortKeys Lite  free version of ShortKeys.


RESOURCES AND ADDED READING:

Abbreviation Expansion and Macro Programs Alliance for Technology Access description
Abbreviation Expansion information  by The CALL Centre & Scottish Executive Education Department.
See Assistive Technology  ---> for abbreviation expansion programs specifically designed for users with special needs ...
   

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