To Change Keyboard Shortcuts in Microsoft Word for Windows (all versions):

1. Click on Tools in the menu bar.

2. Click on Customize from the drop down menu.

3. Click on the Keyboard button in the lower right hand corner of the window that appears.

4. Scroll down the left panel and click on Common Symbols.

5. Scroll down the right panel to choose the symbol desired.

6. In the lower left portion of the window you will see the Current keys used to create that symbol or character. To the right of that you will see a box where you can Press new shortcut key.

7. Type in the keyboard combination you wish to use to create the desired character and the result will appear in the Press new shortcut key window.

8. Press the Assign button in the lower left corner of the window.

Be careful not to use keyboard combinations used for other characters or commands. Trying to use Ctrl+C for the ç character, for example, will interfere with the keyboard shortcut for the Copy command.

Unfortunately, these keyboard shortcuts will not work in other Windows programs such as the Internet Explorer.

In order to change keyboard mapping system wide to use special characters, please go to http://www.starr.net/is/type/kbh.html for an excellent step by step guide. A basic synopsis of what you will find follows:

1. Click Start button Control Panel (for Windows 2000, Settings Control Panel).

2. For Windows XP users, if you see Pick a Category, choose Date, Time, Language, and Regional Options then choose Regional and Language Options. If you do not see Pick a Category and for Windows 2000 users, you will see a bunch of icons. Open Regional and Language Options. It looks like a globe.

3. Click on the Languages tab.

4. Click on the Details button.

5. Click on the Add button.

6. Check the box next to Keyboard layout/IME: and click on the arrow to get the drop down menu. Choose United State-International. Click on OK.

7. Click OK to close the other window.

8. You should see a little keyboard in the bottom right hand side of your taskbar (to the right of the start button, most times far to the right). Left click on this and select United States-International.

At this point you should be able to press any of the following combinations in any program:

Press one of the five modifier keys ` ' " ~ ^ , then the letter to be modified.
( ' then a = á, " then u = ü, ' then c = ç, etc. )

Press the right alt key + another key. Examples: right alt + , = ç (or ' + c)
+ ? = ¿
+ ! = ¡
+ c = ©
+ 5 = €

If these combinations do not work when you change programs, be sure to check the keyboard button in the task bar to make sure you are using the United States-International keyboard. N.B. the keyboard button will change to become the full language bar if you click on Show the Language bar. In this form, it can float anywhere on your screen but it usually appears (and seems most conveniently placed) on top of the title bar of your maximized programs, just to the left of the sizing buttons. If it gets in your way, you can minimize it.