content: <PAGE>   1
      As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 14, 2000
  ================================================================================
  
                         SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                               WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
  
                          - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
                                      FORM S-8
                               REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                        UNDER
                             THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
  
                          - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
  
         DELAWARE                                          06-1555163
  (STATE OF INCORPORATION)                   (I.R.S. EMPLOYER IDENTIFICATION NO.)
  
                              MCK COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
                                 117 KENDRICK STREET
                            NEEDHAM, MASSACHUSETTS 02494
                                   (617) 454-6100
      (ADDRESS, INCLUDING ZIP CODE, AND TELEPHONE NUMBER, INCLUDING AREA CODE,
                    OF REGISTRANT'S PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICES)
  
                               FULL TITLE OF THE PLAN
  
                           2000 DIRECTOR STOCK OPTION PLAN
  
                           - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
  
                                  STEVEN J. BENSON
                   CHAIRMAN, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER AND DIRECTOR
                              MCK COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
                                 117 KENDRICK STREET
                            NEEDHAM, MASSACHUSETTS 02494
                                   (617) 454-6100
  
              (NAME, ADDRESS, INCLUDING ZIP CODE, AND TELEPHONE NUMBER,
                     INCLUDING AREA CODE, OF AGENT FOR SERVICE)
  
                           - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
  
                                   With copies to:
                                     Sally Burke
                              MCK Communications, Inc.
                                 117 Kendrick Street
                            Needham, Massachusetts 02494
                                   (617) 454-6100
  
  
                           CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
  <TABLE>
  <CAPTION>
  
  
  =======================================================================================================================
                                                                                 PROPOSED MAXIMUM
                                    AMOUNTS TO BE       PROPOSED MAXIMUM        AGGREGATE OFFERING           AMOUNT OF
                                     REGISTERED     OFFERING PRICE PER SHARE         PRICE(1)            REGISTRATION FEE
  -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  <S>                             <C>            <C>                         <C>                     <C>
  
  Common Stock issuable pursuant
  to the 2000 Director Stock           80,608              $16.50(1)                 $1,330,032               $351.13
  Option Plan                          419,392             $17.875(2)                $7,496,632              $1,979.11
                                       -------                                       ----------              ---------
                                       500,000                                       $8,826,664              $2,330.24
  =======================================================================================================================
  </TABLE>
  
  
  (1)  The Proposed Maximum Offering Price Per Share and the Proposed Aggregate
       Offering Price are based on the price at which outstanding options may be
       exercised, in accordance with Rule 457(h) under the Securities Act of 1933,
       as amended (the "Securities Act"), and are utilized solely for the purpose
       of calculating the registration fee.
  
  (2)  The Proposed Maximum Offering Price Per Share and the Proposed Aggregate
       Offering Price are based upon the average of the high and low prices for
       the Registrant's Common Stock, par value $.001 per share, as reported on
       the Nasdaq National Market on November 10, 2000, in accordance with Rules
       457(h) and (c) under the Securities Act, and are utilized solely for the
       purpose of calculating the registration fee.
  
  
  
  <PAGE>   2
  
  
  
                                       PART I
  
                INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(A) PROSPECTUS
  
  Item 1.  PLAN INFORMATION.*
  
  Item 2.  REGISTRANT INFORMATION AND EMPLOYEE PLAN ANNUAL INFORMATION.*
  
           * Information required by Part I to be contained in the Section 10(a)
  Prospectus is omitted from this Registration Statement in accordance with Rule
  428 under the Securities Act of 1933 (the "Securities Act") and the Introductory
  Note to Part I of Form S-8.
  
                                       PART II
  
                 INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT
  
  Item 3.   INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE.
  
            MCK Communications, Inc. (the "Registrant") hereby incorporates by
            reference the following documents which have previously been filed
            with the Securities and Exchange Commission:
  
            (a)  the Registrant's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year
                 ended April 30, 2000 filed with the Securities and Exchange
                 Commission on July 31, 2000 (File No. 000-32090);
  
            (b)  all other reports filed with the Securities and Exchange
                 Commission by the Registrant pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d)
                 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange
                 Act") since April 30, 2000; and
  
            (c)  the description of the Registrant's Common Stock contained in the
                 Registration Statement on Form 8-A dated October 18, 1999 as
                 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on October 18,
                 1999 pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Securities Exchange Act of
                 1934, as amended.
  
            In addition, all documents subsequently filed with the Securities and
  Exchange Commission by the Registrant pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 and
  15(d) of the Exchange Act, prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment
  hereto that indicates that all securities offered hereunder have been sold or
  which deregisters all securities then remaining unsold, shall be deemed to be
  incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement and to be a part hereof
  from the date of filing of such documents. Any statement contained in a document
  incorporated by reference herein shall be deemed to be modified or superseded
  for purposes hereof to the extent that a statement contained herein or in any
  subsequently filed document which also is incorporated by reference herein
  modifies or supersedes such statement. Any statement so modified or superseded
  shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part
  of this Registration Statement.
  
  Item 4.   DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES.
  
            Not Applicable.
  
  Item 5.   INTERESTS OF NAMED EXPERTS AND COUNSEL.
  
            Not Applicable.
  
  Item 6    INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS.
  
            In accordance with Section 145 of the General Corporation Law of the
  State of Delaware ("DGCL"), Article VII of the Amended and Registrant's Restated
  Certificate of Incorporation (the "Certificate") provides that no director of
  the Registrant shall be personally liable to the Registrant or its stockholders
  for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director, except for
  liability (i) for any breach of the director's duty of loyalty to the Registrant
  or its stockholders, (ii) for acts or omissions not in good faith or which
  involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law, (iii) in respect
  of intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law, (iii) in respect of
  certain unlawful dividend payments or stock redemptions or repurchases, or (iv)
  for any transaction from which the director derived an improper personal
  benefit. In addition, the Certificate provides that if the DGCL is amended to
  authorize the further elimination or limitation of the personal liability of
  directors, then the liability of a director of the Registrant shall be
  eliminated or limited to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL, as so
  amended.
  
            Article V of the Registrant's Amended and Restated By-laws (the
  "By-laws") provides for indemnification by the Registrant of its directors,
  officers and certain non-officer employees (including officers and certain
  non-officer employees of subsidiaries) under certain circumstances against
  expenses (including attorneys fees, judgments, fines and amounts paid in
  settlement) reasonably incurred in connection with the defense or settlement of
  any threatened, pending or completed legal proceeding in which any such person
  is involved by reason of the fact that such person is or was a director, an
  officer or an employee of the Registrant, or is acting in any capacity with
  other entities at the written request of the registrant, if such person acted in
  good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in, or not
  opposed to, the best interests of the Registrant, and with respect to criminal
  actions or proceedings, that such person had no reasonable cause to believe his
  or her conduct was unlawful.
  
            Under Section 7 of the Underwriting Agreement filed as Exhibit 1.1 to
  the MCK Communications, Inc. Registration Statement on Form S-1 (File No.
  333-85821), the Underwriters have agreed to indemnify, under certain conditions,
  the Registrant, its directors, certain officers and persons who control the
  Registrant within the meaning of the Securities Act against certain liabilities.
  
            The Company carries directors' and officers' liability insurance
  covering its directors and officers.
  
  Item 7.   EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION CLAIMED.
  
            Not applicable.
  
  Item 8.   EXHIBITS.
  
  
  
  
                                         2
  <PAGE>   3
  
            The following is a complete list of exhibits filed or incorporated by
  reference as part of this Registration Statement.
  
  EXHIBITS
  
    5.1       Opinion of McDermott, Will & Emery as to the legality of the
              securities being offered
  
   23.1       Consent of McDermott, Will & Emery (included in Exhibit 5.1)
  
   23.2       Consent of Ernst & Young LLP
  
   23.3       Powers of Attorney (included on signature pages to this
              Registration Statement)
  
   99.1       2000 Director Stock Option Plan of the Registrant
  
  
  
  Item 9.   UNDERTAKINGS.
  
            (a) The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:
  
                 (1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being
            made, a post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement:
  
                      (i) to include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3)
                 of the Securities Act;
  
                      (ii) to reflect in the prospectus any acts or events arising
                 after the effective date of the Registration Statement (or the
                 most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually
                 or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the
                 information set forth in the Registration Statement.
                 Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume
                 of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities
                 offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any
                 deviation from the low or high end of the estimated offering
                 range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the
                 Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the
                 changes in volume and price represent no more than a twenty
                 percent (20%) change in the maximum aggregate offering price set
                 forth in the "Calculation of Registration Fee" table in the
                 effective Registration Statement; and
  
                      (iii) to include any material information with respect to
                 the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the
                 Registration Statement or any material change to such information
                 in the Registration Statement;
  
            provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) herein do
            not apply if the Registration Statement is on Form S-3, Form S-8 or
            Form F-3, and the information required to be included in a
            post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in periodic
            reports filed by the undersigned Registrant pursuant to Section 13 or
            Section 15 (d) of the Exchange Act that are incorporated by reference
            in the Registration Statement;
  
                 (2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the
            Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to
            be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered
            therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be
            deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof; and
  
                 (3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective
            amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold
            at the termination of the offering.
  
            (b) The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of
       determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the
       registrant's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the
       Exchange Act (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit
       plan's annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act) that is
       incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement shall be deemed to
       be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein,
       and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the
       initial bona fide offering thereof.
  
            (c) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the
       Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling
       persons of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or
       otherwise, the Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the
       Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public
       policy as expressed in the Securities Act, and is, therefore,
       unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such
       liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred
       or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant in
       the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by
       such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the
       securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of
       its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to
       a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such
       indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the
       Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such
       issue.
  
  
  
                                         3
  
  <PAGE>   4
  
  
       Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, MCK Communications,
  Inc. certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of
  the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration
  Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
  authorized in Newton, Massachusetts on November 14, 2000.
  
                                          MCK Communications, Inc.
  
                                          By: /s/ Steven J. Benson
                                             ------------------------------------
                                             Steven J. Benson
                                             Chairman, Chief Executive Officer
                                             and President
  
                                  POWER OF ATTORNEY
  
       KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS that each individual whose signature appears
  below constitutes and appoints each of Steven J. Benson and Paul K. Zurlo such
  person's true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent with full power of
  substitution and resubstitution for such period and in such person's name, place
  and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including
  post-effective amendments) to this Registration Statement, and to file with
  same, with all exhibits thereto, and all documents in connection therewith, with
  the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto each said attorney-in-fact
  and agent full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and
  thing requisite and necessary to be done in and about the premises, as fully to
  all intents and purposes as such person might or could do in person, hereby
  ratifying and confirming all that any said attorney-in-fact and agent, or any
  substitute or substitutes of any of them, may lawfully do or cause to be done by
  virtue hereof.
  
       Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
  Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the
  capacities and on the dates indicated.
  
  <TABLE>
  <CAPTION>
  
  SIGNATURE                             TITLE                                  DATE
  ---------                             -----                                  ----
  <S>                 <C>                                           <C>
  
  /s/ Steven J. Benson
  ---------------------  Chairman of the Board, (Chief Executive         November 14, 2000
  Steven J. Benson       Officer, President, Chairman and Director)
  
  /s/ Paul K. Zurlo
  ---------------------  Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial    November 14, 2000
  Paul K. Zurlo          and Accounting Officer)
  
  /s/ Calvin K. Manz
  ---------------------  Director                                        November 14, 2000
  Calvin K. Manz
  
  /s/ John B. Landry
  ---------------------  Director                                        November 14, 2000
  John B. Landry
  
  /s/ Gregory M. Avis
  ---------------------  Director                                        November 14, 2000
  Gregory M. Avis
  
  /s/ Michael H. Balmuth
  ---------------------  Director                                        November 14, 2000
  Michael H. Balmuth
  
  
  ---------------------  Director                                        November ___, 2000
  Paul Severino
  
  
  </TABLE>
  
  
  
                                         4
  <PAGE>   5
  
  
  
                                    EXHIBIT INDEX
  
  
   EXHIBITS
  
     5.1      Opinion of McDermott, Will & Emery as to the legality of the
              securities being offered
  
    23.1      Consent of McDermott, Will & Emery (included in Exhibit 5.1)
  
    23.2      Consent of Ernst & Young LLP
  
    23.3      Powers of Attorney (included on signature pages to this
              Registration Statement)
  
    99.1      2000 Director Stock Option Plan of the Registrant
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
                                         5
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text: 1
      As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 14, 2000
  ================================================================================
  
                         SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                               WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
  
                          - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
                                      FORM S-8
                               REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                        UNDER
                             THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
  
                          - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
  
         DELAWARE                                          06-1555163
  (STATE OF INCORPORATION)                   (I.R.S. EMPLOYER IDENTIFICATION NO.)
  
                              MCK COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
                                 117 KENDRICK STREET
                            NEEDHAM, MASSACHUSETTS 02494
                                   (617) 454-6100
      (ADDRESS, INCLUDING ZIP CODE, AND TELEPHONE NUMBER, INCLUDING AREA CODE,
                    OF REGISTRANT'S PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICES)
  
                               FULL TITLE OF THE PLAN
  
                           2000 DIRECTOR STOCK OPTION PLAN
  
                           - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
  
                                  STEVEN J. BENSON
                   CHAIRMAN, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER AND DIRECTOR
                              MCK COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
                                 117 KENDRICK STREET
                            NEEDHAM, MASSACHUSETTS 02494
                                   (617) 454-6100
  
              (NAME, ADDRESS, INCLUDING ZIP CODE, AND TELEPHONE NUMBER,
                     INCLUDING AREA CODE, OF AGENT FOR SERVICE)
  
                           - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
  
                                   With copies to:
                                     Sally Burke
                              MCK Communications, Inc.
                                 117 Kendrick Street
                            Needham, Massachusetts 02494
                                   (617) 454-6100
  
                           CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
  =======================================================================================================================
                                                                                 PROPOSED MAXIMUM
                                    AMOUNTS TO BE       PROPOSED MAXIMUM        AGGREGATE OFFERING           AMOUNT OF
                                     REGISTERED     OFFERING PRICE PER SHARE         PRICE(1)            REGISTRATION FEE
  -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  Common Stock issuable pursuant
  to the 2000 Director Stock           80,608              $16.50(1)                 $1,330,032               $351.13
  Option Plan                          419,392             $17.875(2)                $7,496,632              $1,979.11
                                       -------                                       ----------              ---------
                                       500,000                                       $8,826,664              $2,330.24
  =======================================================================================================================
  (1)  The Proposed Maximum Offering Price Per Share and the Proposed Aggregate
       Offering Price are based on the price at which outstanding options may be
       exercised, in accordance with Rule 457(h) under the Securities Act of 1933,
       as amended (the "Securities Act"), and are utilized solely for the purpose
       of calculating the registration fee.
  
  (2)  The Proposed Maximum Offering Price Per Share and the Proposed Aggregate
       Offering Price are based upon the average of the high and low prices for
       the Registrant's Common Stock, par value $.001 per share, as reported on
       the Nasdaq National Market on November 10, 2000, in accordance with Rules
       457(h) and (c) under the Securities Act, and are utilized solely for the
       purpose of calculating the registration fee.
  2
  
                                       PART I
  
                INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(A) PROSPECTUS
  
  Item 1.  PLAN INFORMATION.*
  
  Item 2.  REGISTRANT INFORMATION AND EMPLOYEE PLAN ANNUAL INFORMATION.*
  
           * Information required by Part I to be contained in the Section 10(a)
  Prospectus is omitted from this Registration Statement in accordance with Rule
  428 under the Securities Act of 1933 (the "Securities Act") and the Introductory
  Note to Part I of Form S-8.
  
                                       PART II
  
                 INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT
  
  Item 3.   INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE.
  
            MCK Communications, Inc. (the "Registrant") hereby incorporates by
            reference the following documents which have previously been filed
            with the Securities and Exchange Commission:
  
            (a)  the Registrant's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year
                 ended April 30, 2000 filed with the Securities and Exchange
                 Commission on July 31, 2000 (File No. 000-32090);
  
            (b)  all other reports filed with the Securities and Exchange
                 Commission by the Registrant pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d)
                 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange
                 Act") since April 30, 2000; and
  
            (c)  the description of the Registrant's Common Stock contained in the
                 Registration Statement on Form 8-A dated October 18, 1999 as
                 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on October 18,
                 1999 pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Securities Exchange Act of
                 1934, as amended.
  
            In addition, all documents subsequently filed with the Securities and
  Exchange Commission by the Registrant pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 and
  15(d) of the Exchange Act, prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment
  hereto that indicates that all securities offered hereunder have been sold or
  which deregisters all securities then remaining unsold, shall be deemed to be
  incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement and to be a part hereof
  from the date of filing of such documents. Any statement contained in a document
  incorporated by reference herein shall be deemed to be modified or superseded
  for purposes hereof to the extent that a statement contained herein or in any
  subsequently filed document which also is incorporated by reference herein
  modifies or supersedes such statement. Any statement so modified or superseded
  shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part
  of this Registration Statement.
  
  Item 4.   DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES.
  
            Not Applicable.
  
  Item 5.   INTERESTS OF NAMED EXPERTS AND COUNSEL.
  
            Not Applicable.
  
  Item 6    INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS.
  
            In accordance with Section 145 of the General Corporation Law of the
  State of Delaware ("DGCL"), Article VII of the Amended and Registrant's Restated
  Certificate of Incorporation (the "Certificate") provides that no director of
  the Registrant shall be personally liable to the Registrant or its stockholders
  for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director, except for
  liability (i) for any breach of the director's duty of loyalty to the Registrant
  or its stockholders, (ii) for acts or omissions not in good faith or which
  involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law, (iii) in respect
  of intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law, (iii) in respect of
  certain unlawful dividend payments or stock redemptions or repurchases, or (iv)
  for any transaction from which the director derived an improper personal
  benefit. In addition, the Certificate provides that if the DGCL is amended to
  authorize the further elimination or limitation of the personal liability of
  directors, then the liability of a director of the Registrant shall be
  eliminated or limited to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL, as so
  amended.
  
            Article V of the Registrant's Amended and Restated By-laws (the
  "By-laws") provides for indemnification by the Registrant of its directors,
  officers and certain non-officer employees (including officers and certain
  non-officer employees of subsidiaries) under certain circumstances against
  expenses (including attorneys fees, judgments, fines and amounts paid in
  settlement) reasonably incurred in connection with the defense or settlement of
  any threatened, pending or completed legal proceeding in which any such person
  is involved by reason of the fact that such person is or was a director, an
  officer or an employee of the Registrant, or is acting in any capacity with
  other entities at the written request of the registrant, if such person acted in
  good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in, or not
  opposed to, the best interests of the Registrant, and with respect to criminal
  actions or proceedings, that such person had no reasonable cause to believe his
  or her conduct was unlawful.
  
            Under Section 7 of the Underwriting Agreement filed as Exhibit 1.1 to
  the MCK Communications, Inc. Registration Statement on Form S-1 (File No.
  333-85821), the Underwriters have agreed to indemnify, under certain conditions,
  the Registrant, its directors, certain officers and persons who control the
  Registrant within the meaning of the Securities Act against certain liabilities.
  
            The Company carries directors' and officers' liability insurance
  covering its directors and officers.
  
  Item 7.   EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION CLAIMED.
  
            Not applicable.
  
  Item 8.   EXHIBITS.
  
                                         2
  3
  
            The following is a complete list of exhibits filed or incorporated by
  reference as part of this Registration Statement.
  
  EXHIBITS
  
    5.1       Opinion of McDermott, Will & Emery as to the legality of the
              securities being offered
  
   23.1       Consent of McDermott, Will & Emery (included in Exhibit 5.1)
  
   23.2       Consent of Ernst & Young LLP
  
   23.3       Powers of Attorney (included on signature pages to this
              Registration Statement)
  
   99.1       2000 Director Stock Option Plan of the Registrant
  
  Item 9.   UNDERTAKINGS.
  
            (a) The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:
  
                 (1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being
            made, a post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement:
  
                      (i) to include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3)
                 of the Securities Act;
  
                      (ii) to reflect in the prospectus any acts or events arising
                 after the effective date of the Registration Statement (or the
                 most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually
                 or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the
                 information set forth in the Registration Statement.
                 Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume
                 of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities
                 offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any
                 deviation from the low or high end of the estimated offering
                 range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the
                 Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the
                 changes in volume and price represent no more than a twenty
                 percent (20%) change in the maximum aggregate offering price set
                 forth in the "Calculation of Registration Fee" table in the
                 effective Registration Statement; and
  
                      (iii) to include any material information with respect to
                 the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the
                 Registration Statement or any material change to such information
                 in the Registration Statement;
  
            provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) herein do
            not apply if the Registration Statement is on Form S-3, Form S-8 or
            Form F-3, and the information required to be included in a
            post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in periodic
            reports filed by the undersigned Registrant pursuant to Section 13 or
            Section 15 (d) of the Exchange Act that are incorporated by reference
            in the Registration Statement;
  
                 (2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the
            Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to
            be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered
            therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be
            deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof; and
  
                 (3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective
            amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold
            at the termination of the offering.
  
            (b) The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of
       determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the
       registrant's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the
       Exchange Act (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit
       plan's annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act) that is
       incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement shall be deemed to
       be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein,
       and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the
       initial bona fide offering thereof.
  
            (c) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the
       Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling
       persons of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or
       otherwise, the Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the
       Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public
       policy as expressed in the Securities Act, and is, therefore,
       unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such
       liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred
       or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant in
       the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by
       such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the
       securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of
       its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to
       a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such
       indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the
       Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such
       issue.
  
                                         3
  4
  
       Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, MCK Communications,
  Inc. certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of
  the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration
  Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
  authorized in Newton, Massachusetts on November 14, 2000.
  
                                          MCK Communications, Inc.
  
                                          By: /s/ Steven J. Benson
                                             ------------------------------------
                                             Steven J. Benson
                                             Chairman, Chief Executive Officer
                                             and President
  
                                  POWER OF ATTORNEY
  
       KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS that each individual whose signature appears
  below constitutes and appoints each of Steven J. Benson and Paul K. Zurlo such
  person's true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent with full power of
  substitution and resubstitution for such period and in such person's name, place
  and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including
  post-effective amendments) to this Registration Statement, and to file with
  same, with all exhibits thereto, and all documents in connection therewith, with
  the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto each said attorney-in-fact
  and agent full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and
  thing requisite and necessary to be done in and about the premises, as fully to
  all intents and purposes as such person might or could do in person, hereby
  ratifying and confirming all that any said attorney-in-fact and agent, or any
  substitute or substitutes of any of them, may lawfully do or cause to be done by
  virtue hereof.
  
       Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
  Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the
  capacities and on the dates indicated.
  SIGNATURE                             TITLE                                  DATE
  ---------                             -----                                  ----
  /s/ Steven J. Benson
  ---------------------  Chairman of the Board, (Chief Executive         November 14, 2000
  Steven J. Benson       Officer, President, Chairman and Director)
  
  /s/ Paul K. Zurlo
  ---------------------  Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial    November 14, 2000
  Paul K. Zurlo          and Accounting Officer)
  
  /s/ Calvin K. Manz
  ---------------------  Director                                        November 14, 2000
  Calvin K. Manz
  
  /s/ John B. Landry
  ---------------------  Director                                        November 14, 2000
  John B. Landry
  
  /s/ Gregory M. Avis
  ---------------------  Director                                        November 14, 2000
  Gregory M. Avis
  
  /s/ Michael H. Balmuth
  ---------------------  Director                                        November 14, 2000
  Michael H. Balmuth
  
  ---------------------  Director                                        November ___, 2000
  Paul Severino
  4
  5
  
                                    EXHIBIT INDEX
  
   EXHIBITS
  
     5.1      Opinion of McDermott, Will & Emery as to the legality of the
              securities being offered
  
    23.1      Consent of McDermott, Will & Emery (included in Exhibit 5.1)
  
    23.2      Consent of Ernst & Young LLP
  
    23.3      Powers of Attorney (included on signature pages to this
              Registration Statement)
  
    99.1      2000 Director Stock Option Plan of the Registrant
  
                                         5