Autofill is a feature available on web browsers, plug-ins, and word processing programs that automatically fills in information on forms. It can be enabled or disabled and may include credit card information. It is important to be cautious when using autofill on shared computers. Alphasmarts are portable word processors with an autofill feature that can be helpful for children with learning disabilities.
An autofill feature may be one of the features your web browser offers, or if you don’t have this capability with your browser, you can download a number of plug-ins that will help you get the autofill feature. Basically, autofill makes it easier for you to fill out Internet forms for signing up for certain groups, or for things like filling out shipping or billing information when buying something online. Another type of autofill feature may be available on word processing programs, office programs like Excel®, and stand-alone word processing machines like Alphasmart®.
You can enable or disable an autofill feature on most web browsers, and it can come in handy if you regularly join new groups or fill out forms. It automatically fills in things like your first and last name, address, email address, phone number, dates of birth, and a few other details your forms ask for. These plug-ins or features tend not to work with drop-down menus. Even if you use this option, you may still need to go through the form to add things like your state or country of residence, and sometimes dates like your date of birth. Occasionally, autofill will also add credit card information, which you might want to pay attention to. If you use more than one card for purchases, check the numbers filled in to make sure they match the card you want to use.
You should also be careful using the AutoFill feature if your computer is accessed by a large number of people, especially if your credit card information is filled in automatically. Even the innocent act of sharing your computer with some family members can mean that you enter incorrect information when registering for a particular group, or children, if unsupervised on the computer, can accidentally “purchase” items or belong to groups if this feature is enabled on your computer. Always be sure to read anything you didn’t type yourself, to be sure the information is accurate.
The other type of autofill feature is available in programs such as Microsoft Word®. This will generally recognize some commonly used words, such as your first and last name, and some commonly repeated words such as “Sincerely” that may appear in letters. AutoFill in Word® will also instantly recognize the current date, which may reduce the amount you have to type.
For children with learning disabilities, primarily dysgraphia, Alphasmarts are portable word processors that can help adequate typists complete work more legibly and usually more quickly than handwriting. They can come loaded with programs such as an autofill feature, which will suggest words based on the first two or three letters of a word you type. This feature may become less useful as students advance in vocabulary, but for younger typists it can help reduce the need for typing and spelling.
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