Kari,
Sometime last year, I bought a practice dictation book from my local Borders bookstore. It's called:
"Machine Transcription and Dictation". 5th edition. The author is Mitsy Ballentine. It has a practice CD.
I chose not to go the foot pedal route. You can program some hot keys and do just as well. That's my thoughts on the subject. :-)))

-Alice