If you can type, consider becoming a transcriptionist. That's where you listen to tapes or CDs of meetings, hearings, etc. and type it.
I don't know about general transcription or legal transcription, but medical transcription isn't worth it any more, in terms of a long-term career. It's being offshored to India and we (I've been a medical transcriptionist for 23 years, home-based the last 10 years) are seeing our wages go down the toilet here in America as a result.
Great idea!