One is the loneliest number

Yesterday I went to Dakota's school to take him to the book fair and bring a batch of cookies for his class.  I arrived at lunchtime and so half the school was in the cafeteria. When I entered I felt much like, I believe,  the minnows feel when they are dumped into the shark tank- I was fresh meat and all eyes were on me. Amidst the murmurs and giggles I was able to find Dakota's table. His class sits together (I assume all classes do) and were at the farthest table. I don't know if they have assigned tables but I hope they do because it is easier for the kids to remember; and I don't know if they seat them at the farthest spot for a reason- perhaps so they are not too distracted or so none of the other kids bother them. In any case, it had the effect - at least to me-of making them seem very isolated. As I mentioned once before I think (pardon the memory slippage - my mind used to be a steel trap now its more of a butterfly net- lots of things can get through) the children in Dakota's class have various disabilities: autism, Down's Syndrome, MR and others. Consequently they have various levels of social skills, eating habits etc. This leads to quite a bit of staring from the other kids. My heart hurt a little when I saw the kids at their tables and some were off in their own world, a couple had food all over them- some because they have hand/eye coordination problems but at least one because his parents don't like to be bothered teaching him as they don't think he can learn (it makes me so mad). The thing is, do they notice these things or do I? Do they care or do I? If I ask Dakota about it and he hasn't noticed, will this make him notice and feel bad? Maybe if they're off in their own world I should leave them there, maybe it beats this one.