I agree with DeeDee. Kids can contribute in many different ways. I don't know what is happening in this particular classroom or whether the situation is being handled well; schools differ. However, I don't think it is possible to make assumptions about why these children are placed in this class without knowing the children or asking directly. One doesn't have to be verbal to be a valuable contributor.
I understand what is being said about these children not appearing to contribute, but we don't really know - we don't know the children and they must have been placed in the class for a reason. Yes, mainstreaming is good for kids with disabilities when possible - but that doesn't mean they don't contribute.
My daughter is PG with no disabilities. Her absolute favorite book is "Out of My Mind," about a severely disabled nonverbal girl. It resonates with her. She previously had a classmate with a speech disability who was basically unable to verbally communicate but who was a valued member of the class, able to contribute in many ways.
Things often aren't as simple as they seem from a brief description.
