The Teaching Online by Design program prepares you for careers in e-learning, instructional design, and more. Perfect for future online educators. Learn how to engage students and master digital tools!
The Teaching Online by Design program prepares you for careers in e-learning, instructional design, and more. Perfect for future online educators. Learn how to engage students and master digital tools!
Dr. Melanie McKay-Cody is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Disability and Psychoeducational Studies at the University of Arizona. A Deaf woman of Cherokee, Shawnee, Powhatan, and Montauk heritage, Dr. McKay-Cody earned her Ph.D. in linguistic and socio-cultural anthropology from the University of Oklahoma. She is a nationally recognized leader in the documentation and preservation of critically endangered Indigenous Sign Languages in North America, assisting various tribes in maintaining their unique sign languages.
Dr. McKay-Cody’s work centers on Indigenous Deaf studies, interpreter training that integrates Native culture, and promoting the use of North American Indian Sign Language alongside American Sign Language (ASL). With over 42 years of experience teaching ASL in various educational and community settings, she also co-founded Turtle Island Hand Talk, an organization focused on empowering Indigenous Deaf, Hard of Hearing, DeafBlind, and Hearing individuals.
In recognition of her groundbreaking work, Dr. McKay-Cody was named to the 2024 University of Arizona Women of Impact cohort. This honor highlights her contributions to research, advocacy, and community engagement, particularly in preserving endangered languages and promoting cultural revitalization.
Her research interests include phonology, morphology, sociolinguistics, endangered sign language documentation, and sign language revitalization. Dr. McKay-Cody is a recipient of the Ford Foundation Dissertation Fellowship and has been recognized with a National Science Foundation (NSF) award for her contributions to the field.
