Distance Learning - Mail Order Degrees?

I am interested in gaining an Associate's Degree in Medical Transcription or some related field. Would any of the Distance Learning programs that are currently "out there" be sufficient to get me started? I'm presently looking into Harcourt Learning Direct but am leary of signing a contract for a program that won't give me what I need. I also do not want to deal with a school that is soley in business to take the customer's money and not to teach the required course material that will give me a real chance in the job market. Can anyone help?

 

This community college has a certificate program in Medical Transcription (or Medical Secretarial?) and you can take additional courses for an AA in Office Technology. This is a regionally accredited community college. If you live in Florida, it is very inexpensive. The school is: http://web2010.brevard.cc.fl.us/campuses/virtual/
It is a little vague about whether all of it can be done online, so you'll have to email or call them.

I would be a good idea to check the community colleges around you if you want a regionally accredited degree; regionally accredited degrees give you the best opportunity of transferring the credits to other colleges. I suspect that many schools that only teach this and similar topics will claim to be accredited, but may not be regionally accredited.

Also, you might some ideas from here: http://distancelearn.about.com/cs/medicaloffice/

 

Since Harcourt seems to be cuttins way back on its distance learning offerings, that is yet another reason to shop around. I note on the website of the Distance Education and Training Council (http://www.detc.org) that they list, in their subject index, four schools offering Medical Transcription by distance education. That's probably a good place to begin your shopping.