In considering the STEM careers of the future, the researcher hypothesized that, if special educators come together with general educators to team teach, high school students with special needs will have better access to the STEM/STEAM curriculum. The purpose of this study was to examine the traditional physics classroom and the cotaught classroom at a local high school and determine which classroom was better for general education students and students with special needs. Through observations, assessments, and perceptions from a teacher, parents, and students, this study aimed to answer: Does team teaching lead to more effective teaching than traditional teaching? The 27 student participants from both classrooms were given a pretest and posttest to compare the results. Classroom observations from both classrooms were also done to show similarities and differences between the lessons taught in the traditional classroom of 16 students and the cotaught classroom of 11 students. Interviewees included one teacher, eight students, and four parents from one U.S. public high school. Drawing from interview responses, common themes emerged. However, data suggest there was no significant difference in the pretests and posttests. Classroom observations and interviewee responses suggest teacher collaboration and extra support for students with special needs supports use of the cotaught classroom environment. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]