Abstract
Background and Objective: With the expansion of virtual education in the Iranian education system, the discussion of educational justice and equal opportunities has become a serious challenge. This study aimed to conduct a sociological analysis of distance education policies and their attention to social justice.
Research Method: This study is applied in terms of purpose and qualitative-documentary in nature. To analyze educational justice in distance education policies in Iran, an exploratory mixed qualitative-documentary approach was used. In this approach, policy documents were first reviewed, and then qualitative data were collected through semi-structured interviews to complete the analysis. Combining the data allows for a simultaneous understanding of the "policy text" and the "experts' experience."
Findings: The results showed that distance education policies are overly focused on infrastructure and technology, and cultural, class, and cultural capital dimensions have received less attention. Four main themes were extracted, including inequality in access, quality of education, cultural capital, and the dominance of a technological perspective.
Conclusion: The aim of this study was to examine educational equity in distance education policies in Iran. The findings showed that although the development of virtual education has created opportunities for expanding access, these opportunities have not led to educational equity due to structural inequality, the digital divide, limited cultural capital of families, and technology-oriented policymaking..



Keywords: Distance learning, educational justice, equal opportunity, cultural capital, inequality