<PAGE>


                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549


                                    FORM S-8

             REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933


                              SPECTRAN CORPORATION
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

          Delaware                                       04-2729372
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(State or other jurisdiction of          (I.R.S. employer identification number)
 incorporation or organization)


50 Hall Road, Sturbridge, Massachusetts                                 01566
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)                              (Zip code)

                        1991 Incentive Stock Option Plan
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                              (Full Title of Plan)

                               Charles B. Harrison
                            SpecTran Industrial Park
                                  50 Hall Road
                         Sturbridge, Massachusetts 01566
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                     (Name and Address of agent for service)

                                  508-347-2261
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
          (Telephone number, including area code, or agent for service)


                         Calculation of Registration Fee
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                                         Proposed               Proposed
                                 Amount                   maximum                maximum                   Amount
Title of securities               to be                offering price           aggregate              of registration
 to be registered              registered                per unit (1)         offering price                 fee

<S>                              <C>                       <C>                 <C>                        <C>
Common Stock,                    345,000                   $11.88              $4,098,600                 $1,139.41
 par value $.10
</TABLE>


(1)  Estimated  solely  for the  purpose of  calculating  the  registration  fee
pursuant  to Rule  457(c),  based  on the  average  high and low  prices  of the
Company's  Common Stock as reported on the National  Association  of  Securities
Dealers Automated Quotation System on July 9, 1999.


<PAGE>


         This  Registration   Statement  is  being  filed  pursuant  to  General
Instruction E of Form S-8 to register additional shares of SpecTran  Corporation
Common  Stock in  connection  with its 1991  Incentive  Stock  Option  Plan,  as
amended.  Pursuant thereto, the Registrant's  Registration Statement on Form S-8
filed  March  23,  1992,  SEC File  No.  33-46581,  is  hereby  incorporated  by
reference.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Item 8.  Exhibits

<S>                                                                                             <C>
Exhibit                                                                                         Sequential Page
Number                                                                                              Number
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

4     SpecTran  Corporation  1991  Incentive  Stock Option Plan,  as amended,
      filed as Exhibit 10.115 to the Registrant's  Annual Report on Form 10-K
      for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1998 (SEC File No. 000-12489) is
      incorporated herein by reference.

5     Opinion of Nordlicht & Hand, counsel for the SpecTran Corporation                                6

23(a) Consent of KPMG LLP                                                                              7

23(b) Consent of Nordlicht & Hand,  contained in opinion of counsel  filed as
      Exhibit 5
</TABLE>



<PAGE>


                                   SIGNATURES

         Pursuant  to the  requirements  of the  Securities  Act  of  1933,  the
registrant 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 the City of Sturbridge, State of Massachusetts on June 29, 1999.

                                                           SPECTRAN CORPORATION
                                                               (Registrant)


                                              By: /s/ Charles B. Harrison
                                              Charles B. Harrison, President and
                                              Chief Executive Officer

         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>
Name                                             Title                                              Date


<S>                                              <C>                                                <C>
/s/ Charles B. Harrison                          President, Chief                                   June 29, 1999
------------------------                         Executive Officer,
 Charles B. Harrison                             Chairman of the Board of
                                                 Directors
                                                 (Principal Executive
                                                 Officer)


/s/ George J. Roberts                            Senior Vice President,                             June 29, 1999
-------------------------                        Chief Financial Officer,
George J. Roberts                                Secretary and Treasurer
                                                 (Principal Financial
                                                 Officer)


/s/ Paul D. Lazay                                Director                                           June 29, 1999
------------------------
Dr. Paul D. Lazay


                                                 Director                                           June 29, 1999
Ira S. Nordlicht


/s/ Richard M. Donofrio                          Director                                           June 29, 1999
-----------------------
Richard M. Donofio

</TABLE>

<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<S>                                              <C>                                                <C>

/s/ John E. Chapman                              Senior Vice President,                             June 29, 1999
-----------------------                          Director
John E. Chapman


/s/ Lily K. Lai                                  Director                                           June 29, 1999
-----------------------
Dr. Lily K. Lai



/s/ Robert A. Schmitz                            Director                                           June 29, 1999
-----------------------
Robert A. Schmitz
</TABLE>


<PAGE>


                                  EXHIBIT INDEX
<TABLE>


<S>                                                                                                <C>
Exhibit                                                                                            Sequential Page
Number                                                                                                 Number
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

4        SpecTran  Corporation  1991  Incentive  Stock Option Plan,  as amended,
         filed as Exhibit 10.115 to the Registrant's  Annual Report on Form 10-K
         for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1998 (SEC File No. 000-12489) is
         incorporated herein by reference.

5        Opinion of Nordlicht & Hand, counsel for the SpecTran Corporation                                6

23(a)    Consent of KPMG LLP                                                                              7

23(b)    Consent of Nordlicht & Hand,  contained in opinion of counsel  filed as
         Exhibit 5
</TABLE>






<PAGE>


                                    Exhibit 5

                                NORDLICHT & HAND
                               Counsellors at Law
                                  Olympic Tower
                                645 Fifth Avenue
                            New York, New York 10022



                                                                    July 9, 1999

SpecTran Corporation
SpecTran Industrial Park
50 Hall Road
Sturbridge, Massachusetts 01566

         Re:      Registration Statement on Form S-8

Ladies and Gentlemen:

         We  have  acted  as  counsel  to  SpecTran   Corporation,   a  Delaware
corporation   (the   "Company"),   in  connection  with  the  preparation  of  a
registration statement (the "Registration Statement") on Form S-8 to be filed by
the  Company  under the  Securities  Act of 1933,  as  amended,  registering  an
additional  345,000  shares of the Company's  common stock,  par value $.10 (the
"Shares")  reserved for issuance under the Company's 1991 Incentive Stock Option
Plan, as amended.

         In such  capacity,  we  have  examined  the  Company's  Certificate  of
Incorporation,  Bylaws, the form of certificate for the Shares and such records,
documents, statutes, and decisions as we have deemed relevant.

         On the basis of such  examination,  we advise you that, in our opinion,
the  Shares,  when  issued  in  accordance  with the  terms of the  Registration
Statement  against  payment  of the  purchase  price  therefor,  will be validly
issued, fully paid and non-assessable shares of the Company's common stock.

         We hereby  consent to the  filing of this  opinion as an exhibit to the
Registration  Statement  and to the  reference to us under the caption of "Legal
Counsel" in the  prospectus  and reference to us under the caption  "Counsel" in
the Registration Statement.

                                                               Very truly yours,

                                                            /s/ Nordlicht & Hand

                                                                Nordlicht & Hand


<PAGE>


                                  Exhibit 23(a)

                        INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANT'S CONSENT




The Board of Directors
SpecTran Corporation

         We hereby  consent  to the use of our  reports  incorporated  herein by
reference  and to the  reference to our firm under the heading  "Experts" in the
prospectus.


                                                                    /s/ KPMG LLP
                                                                        KPMG LLP

Boston, Massachusetts
July 12, 1999
[{"type": "S-8", "sequence": "1", "description": "REGISTRATION STATEMENT FOR SPECTRAN CORPORATION", "secsgml_size_bytes": 11315}]
{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "SPECTRAN CORP", "cik": "0000718487", "assigned-sic": "3220", "irs-number": "042729372", "state-of-incorporation": "DE", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "S-8", "act": "33", "file-number": "333-83009", "film-number": "99665573"}, "business-address": {"street1": "50 HALL ROAD", "city": "STURBRIDGE", "state": "MA", "zip": "01566", "phone": "5083472261"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "50 HALL ROAD", "city": "STURBRIDGE", "state": "MA", "zip": "01566"}}
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

                                    FORM S-8

             REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

                              SPECTRAN CORPORATION
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

          Delaware                                       04-2729372
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(State or other jurisdiction of          (I.R.S. employer identification number)
 incorporation or organization)

50 Hall Road, Sturbridge, Massachusetts                                 01566
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)                              (Zip code)

                        1991 Incentive Stock Option Plan
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                              (Full Title of Plan)

                               Charles B. Harrison
                            SpecTran Industrial Park
                                  50 Hall Road
                         Sturbridge, Massachusetts 01566
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                     (Name and Address of agent for service)

                                  508-347-2261
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
          (Telephone number, including area code, or agent for service)

                         Calculation of Registration Fee
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Proposed               Proposed
                                 Amount                   maximum                maximum                   Amount
Title of securities               to be                offering price           aggregate              of registration
 to be registered              registered                per unit (1)         offering price                 fee
Common Stock,                    345,000                   $11.88              $4,098,600                 $1,139.41
 par value $.10
(1)  Estimated  solely  for the  purpose of  calculating  the  registration  fee
pursuant  to Rule  457(c),  based  on the  average  high and low  prices  of the
Company's  Common Stock as reported on the National  Association  of  Securities
Dealers Automated Quotation System on July 9, 1999.
This  Registration   Statement  is  being  filed  pursuant  to  General
Instruction E of Form S-8 to register additional shares of SpecTran  Corporation
Common  Stock in  connection  with its 1991  Incentive  Stock  Option  Plan,  as
amended.  Pursuant thereto, the Registrant's  Registration Statement on Form S-8
filed  March  23,  1992,  SEC File  No.  33-46581,  is  hereby  incorporated  by
reference.
Item 8.  Exhibits
Exhibit                                                                                         Sequential Page
Number                                                                                              Number
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

4     SpecTran  Corporation  1991  Incentive  Stock Option Plan,  as amended,
      filed as Exhibit 10.115 to the Registrant's  Annual Report on Form 10-K
      for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1998 (SEC File No. 000-12489) is
      incorporated herein by reference.

5     Opinion of Nordlicht & Hand, counsel for the SpecTran Corporation                                6

23(a) Consent of KPMG LLP                                                                              7

23(b) Consent of Nordlicht & Hand,  contained in opinion of counsel  filed as
      Exhibit 5
SIGNATURES

         Pursuant  to the  requirements  of the  Securities  Act  of  1933,  the
registrant 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 the City of Sturbridge, State of Massachusetts on June 29, 1999.

                                                           SPECTRAN CORPORATION
                                                               (Registrant)

                                              By: /s/ Charles B. Harrison
                                              Charles B. Harrison, President and
                                              Chief Executive Officer

         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.

Name                                             Title                                              Date
/s/ Charles B. Harrison                          President, Chief                                   June 29, 1999
------------------------                         Executive Officer,
 Charles B. Harrison                             Chairman of the Board of
                                                 Directors
                                                 (Principal Executive
                                                 Officer)

/s/ George J. Roberts                            Senior Vice President,                             June 29, 1999
-------------------------                        Chief Financial Officer,
George J. Roberts                                Secretary and Treasurer
                                                 (Principal Financial
                                                 Officer)

/s/ Paul D. Lazay                                Director                                           June 29, 1999
------------------------
Dr. Paul D. Lazay

                                                 Director                                           June 29, 1999
Ira S. Nordlicht

/s/ Richard M. Donofrio                          Director                                           June 29, 1999
-----------------------
Richard M. Donofio
/s/ John E. Chapman                              Senior Vice President,                             June 29, 1999
-----------------------                          Director
John E. Chapman

/s/ Lily K. Lai                                  Director                                           June 29, 1999
-----------------------
Dr. Lily K. Lai

/s/ Robert A. Schmitz                            Director                                           June 29, 1999
-----------------------
Robert A. Schmitz
EXHIBIT INDEX
Exhibit                                                                                            Sequential Page
Number                                                                                                 Number
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

4        SpecTran  Corporation  1991  Incentive  Stock Option Plan,  as amended,
         filed as Exhibit 10.115 to the Registrant's  Annual Report on Form 10-K
         for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1998 (SEC File No. 000-12489) is
         incorporated herein by reference.

5        Opinion of Nordlicht & Hand, counsel for the SpecTran Corporation                                6

23(a)    Consent of KPMG LLP                                                                              7

23(b)    Consent of Nordlicht & Hand,  contained in opinion of counsel  filed as
         Exhibit 5
Exhibit 5

                                NORDLICHT & HAND
                               Counsellors at Law
                                  Olympic Tower
                                645 Fifth Avenue
                            New York, New York 10022

                                                                    July 9, 1999

SpecTran Corporation
SpecTran Industrial Park
50 Hall Road
Sturbridge, Massachusetts 01566

         Re:      Registration Statement on Form S-8

Ladies and Gentlemen:

         We  have  acted  as  counsel  to  SpecTran   Corporation,   a  Delaware
corporation   (the   "Company"),   in  connection  with  the  preparation  of  a
registration statement (the "Registration Statement") on Form S-8 to be filed by
the  Company  under the  Securities  Act of 1933,  as  amended,  registering  an
additional  345,000  shares of the Company's  common stock,  par value $.10 (the
"Shares")  reserved for issuance under the Company's 1991 Incentive Stock Option
Plan, as amended.

         In such  capacity,  we  have  examined  the  Company's  Certificate  of
Incorporation,  Bylaws, the form of certificate for the Shares and such records,
documents, statutes, and decisions as we have deemed relevant.

         On the basis of such  examination,  we advise you that, in our opinion,
the  Shares,  when  issued  in  accordance  with the  terms of the  Registration
Statement  against  payment  of the  purchase  price  therefor,  will be validly
issued, fully paid and non-assessable shares of the Company's common stock.

         We hereby  consent to the  filing of this  opinion as an exhibit to the
Registration  Statement  and to the  reference to us under the caption of "Legal
Counsel" in the  prospectus  and reference to us under the caption  "Counsel" in
the Registration Statement.

                                                               Very truly yours,

                                                            /s/ Nordlicht & Hand

                                                                Nordlicht & Hand
Exhibit 23(a)

                        INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANT'S CONSENT

The Board of Directors
SpecTran Corporation

         We hereby  consent  to the use of our  reports  incorporated  herein by
reference  and to the  reference to our firm under the heading  "Experts" in the
prospectus.

                                                                    /s/ KPMG LLP
                                                                        KPMG LLP

Boston, Massachusetts
July 12, 1999