I am a beginner and would like to invest some time and a bit of money into becoming familiar with SLR cameras and lenses. I plan to take a course and put the camera to some good use so I wanted something that would allow me to learn the basic functions but also provide me with options to go to more advanced levels. After doing some research I think that a Canon EOS Rebel T2i Digital SLR Camera would give me a solid start. Any other suggestions? Comments?

Also, the choice of lenses is a question. I was thinking either EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens and EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM or just a single higher end lens with 3rd generation image stabilization. Mu budget is about 1100 for the body, the lenses etc. Any advice?