Is Carla (the woman in the back the classroom) a member of our CI597 community?

Carla is auditing our class. She comes to class and sits outside of our circle. I have heard her chime in a thought (mostly to Scott or Cole but occasionally to a small group) on a couple of occasions. What I want to know is...

DO YOU THINK SHE IS A MEMBER OF OUR COMMUNITY?

There is a method to my madness, and it involves Wenger's concept of participation. Is someone a member of a community without participation? Are there layers of community based on participation?

My thinking is that a class consists of a mixture of people that have varying levels of participation. Is someone who has a lower level of participation if any participation at all a member of the community? Does the level of participation create a hierarchy of value or status within the community, meaning the more you participate, the more you are valued in the community? You answer has implications for Carla's membership (if we decide to issue her a membership). Is she one of us? If so, is she of lesser value because her participation is not as active as other members of our community?