MCLD Club at Dawson offers activities, discussion for students with learning disabilities
For students at Dawson College with learning disabilities (LDs) or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), the door to the LD+ADHD Club is always open. Launched in September 2025, it’s a place to share experiences, get advice on navigating post-secondary life and connect with mentors who understand what they are going through.
“I wish it had existed when I was in college,” said Breanna Pallante, one of the club’s facilitators and a Dawson alumnus. As an ambassador at the Montreal Centre for Learning Disabilities (MCLD), Pallante regularly shares her story to sensitize the public about her experience growing up with dyslexia and ADHD.
According to the Learning Disability Association of Canada, LDs impact the processing and retention of information, causing struggles in reading, writing and math.
For student Radhika Khera, having ADHD can exacerbate difficulties with concentration. “For me, it’s not even finishing a task that is the issue; it’s starting it,” she shared.
Khera reflected she has had a challenging academic path, being both the first generation in her family to complete post-secondary school as well as the first generation in Canada, compounded by her learning dis-abilities. She is passionate about pursuing a career in social work “to give back, like the organizations that had been there for me.”
The club is currently funded and run by the MCLD, however the organization is seeking additional sources of support, partnering with corporate sponsors such as UNIQLO, Poulet Rouge, Ardene and CF Montreal. Each monthly meeting is half discussion and half activity, shar-ing study skills, coping mechanisms and self-advocacy experiences.
The facilitators all have some form of learning disability and exemplify that possibilities are limitless. For instance, Pallante believes that having ADHD can be an asset. “You have the energy to take on things you have a passion for.” Another topic the Club covers is the debate: to disclose or not?
The facilitators acknowledge it can be challenging for someone to express their need for accommodations such as extended time or adapted technology whether in an academic or work setting due to concerns about the response. In fact, Pallante recalled how the energy shifted in an interview when she mentioned having an LD. While it was a process to request accommodations, Khera said she was proud of her self-advocacy as she can now do tests online.
The LD+ADHD Club works closely with Dawson’s Student AccessAbility Centre. “Breanna’s vision of a safe space where students can come together for support and share their stories has proved successful,” said manager Christine Lister. “We are pleased to see this group prosper for a second semester.”
Pallante credits much of her resilience to the quote “If you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid,” an analogy for different forms of success. Having experienced doubts about her skills due to having an LD, Pallante shared she is doubly motivated to be there for the students. “Your path may be different – but you can still get to your destination.”
Info: ldmontreal.ca/youth-club
