The purpose of this special themed issue is to provide a venue for scholars, researchers, instructional designers, and classroom teachers to engage with critical theories and diversity in open, flexible and technology-mediated distance learning environments. To provide the most opportunity for inclusion, we invite submissions that consider a wide variety of technologies, pedagogies, modes and settings (e.g., K-12, higher education, and industry/corporate settings). We encourage submissions that represent the theoretical landscape, and which demonstrate the breadth and depth of theoretical lenses that have been historically underrepresented. This includes, but is not limited to, the following: critical race theory, critical pedagogies, disability studies, feminisms, heutagogy, and LGBTQIA+ studies. Finally, we invite a variety of research paradigms as well as theoretical pieces, meta-analyses, and strategic reviews of the literature.