Charles,
I'd take a serious look at XAF - If you're new to Visual Basic, you're likely to create something users will (literally) kill for - so a helping hand from a professional framework could be a lifesaver :)
DevExpress XAF[
^]
Go through this demo:
Outlook in 60 Minutes[
^]
XAF enables you to create both a web and a windows application, with a minimum of effort.
Best regards
Espen Harlinn