I am having the same problem with an Inspiron 1525 with Windows 7. This problem started from Day 1. I was assuming that it was due to some crazy hotkey settings and couldn't figure out how to prevent it. It annoyed me that this increasing sophistication was interfering with the simple task of typing. It seems that it mainly affects me rather than my daughter because it happens mainly if you are typing very fast, which she can't do yet.
Anyway it seems like this is a very common problem and that whoever is responsible should figure out a fix for it. Alternative operating systems (see it just switched to italics even though I never wanted to do this, My fingers never left the keyboard). It also automatically puts in indents, windows pop up all of the time, it jumps to other windows on the computer. Basically the computer has a mind of its own. Very frustrating when someone buys a brand new computer and it does not work.