Our current research focuses on how collaboration—one of the key competencies for the 21st century—can be more effectively supported among children, particularly those in special education. We are especially interested in the potential of digital games as motivational tools for skills development, given their capacity to foster social interaction and promote pro-social behaviours such as cooperation and teamwork. Despite this potential, there is still limited and fragmented knowledge about how to design digital collaborative games that meaningfully support and mediate collaboration for children with diverse needs. Our work addresses this gap by investigating how specific gameplay design elements can scaffold collaborative interactions in special education contexts. Using a design-based research approach, we aim to develop a taxonomy of design principles and game mechanics that can guide the creation of inclusive, collaboration-supportive digital learning environments.