The US economic downturn has resulted in many professionals, job seekers, and high school graduates heading back to school to develop new skills, but fewer of these students can afford a conventional four-year college education today. Community and technical colleges typically charge tuition fees that are less than half of those at public four-year colleges, and one-tenth of those at private four-year schools, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. Once viewed as inferior alternatives, community colleges are experiencing a spike in popularity, and are scrambling to invest in technology that can help them meet the demand.