University art and design programs are branching out and creating cross-disciplinary programs and research centers that connect design students and faculty across various disciplines such as business, engineering, architecture, information studies, health sciences and education. A human-centered, problem-based approach to design research looks to position industry and academic leaders to work alongside students, community leaders, artists and non-profits to develop creative and innovative solutions to the challenges facing contemporary society. But, as these challenges become more global in scope, participatory design research and the Internet become critical tools in addressing cultural differences in visual and verbal messages. This paper looks at the role of social networking tools and participatory research in addressing cross-cultural and multicultural challenges. It addresses the question: can the use of classroom collaboration, participatory design research and online critique and workspaces encourage creativity, innovation and critical thinking in student and professional designers?