What is Ohio IT-09 Policy?
Official Requirement
Ohio's IT-09 Information Technology Accessibility Policy requires all Ohio state agencies, boards, and commissions to ensure their electronic and information technology is accessible to people with disabilities.
Technical Standard
WCAG 2.0 Level AA
Implementation Milestone
January 2025
Scope
All public-facing digital content
Enforcement
State CIO oversight + ADA lawsuits
⚠️ Critical Gap: IT-09 vs. Federal Standards
IT-09 requires WCAG 2.0 AA (2008 standard). But federal DOJ ADA Title II requires WCAG 2.1 AA by April 2026—just 16 months after IT-09's January 2025 milestone.
Organizations remediating to WCAG 2.0 today will need expensive second remediation in 2026 for WCAG 2.1's 17 new success criteria.
Who Must Comply with IT-09?
State Agencies
- • Executive branch agencies
- • All state departments
- • Direct IT-09 obligation
Boards & Commissions
- • Professional licensing boards
- • Regulatory commissions
- • Advisory bodies
Public Universities
- • State universities
- • Community colleges
- • Learning management systems
County Governments
- • County agencies (best practice)
- • Subject to ADA Title II
- • Should align with IT-09
Municipal Government
- • City governments
- • Township administrations
- • Public services portals
School Districts
- • K-12 public schools
- • District websites
- • Parent/student portals
Central Ohio Coverage
In Newark and Licking County alone, there are 52+ organizations subject to IT-09 or related ADA requirements:
County Government
1 county + 16 departments
Municipalities
8 cities/villages
School Districts
12 districts
Healthcare
4 hospital systems, 3 FQHCs
Higher Education
1 community college branch
Libraries
7 public libraries
Zero local competitors offering in-person accessibility compliance services. All national firms are remote-only.
Don't Remediate Twice: Build to WCAG 2.1 Now
Why WCAG 2.1 is the Right Choice
- ✓ Backward compatible: WCAG 2.1 AA satisfies IT-09's WCAG 2.0 AA requirement (all 2.0 criteria included)
- ✓ Federal alignment: Meets DOJ ADA Title II standard (April 2026) from day one
- ✓ Future-proof: No second remediation needed when federal deadline hits
- ✓ Better accessibility: 17 additional success criteria improve mobile, low vision, and cognitive access
- ✓ Single audit: One compliance report satisfies both state and federal requirements
Your Local Central Ohio Partner
🏠 Local, In-Person Service
We're the only central Ohio firm offering in-person accessibility compliance services. All national competitors are remote-only (California, New York, or international).
- ✓ On-site assessments and stakeholder meetings
- ✓ In-person training at your location
- ✓ Face-to-face collaboration with your IT team
- ✓ Same-timezone communication
- ✓ Quick turnaround for urgent Ohio deadlines
📚 Ohio IT-09 Expertise
Deep knowledge of Ohio-specific requirements, state CIO policies, and local government procurement processes.
- ✓ IT-09 policy interpretation and gap analysis
- ✓ State vs. federal requirement reconciliation
- ✓ Ohio procurement compliance assistance
- ✓ Relationships with Ohio state agencies
- ✓ Understanding of Ohio budget cycles and timelines
📋 Straightforward Engagement
Clear scope and deliverables from day one — no hidden fees or surprise add-ons.
- ✓ Defined deliverables by organization size
- ✓ No hidden fees or surprise add-ons
- ✓ Tailored for Ohio public sector procurement processes
- ✓ Flexible payment terms for public entities
🎓 Education-First Approach
We teach you to fish—building your internal capability instead of creating dependency on consultants.
- ✓ Developer and QA training included
- ✓ Content author accessibility workshops
- ✓ Procurement officer guidance
- ✓ Internal champion development
- ✓ Sustainability planning
Related Services
WCAG 2.1/2.2 Compliance
Comprehensive WCAG certification—the technical standard underlying IT-09
ADA Title II Compliance
Federal DOJ requirements (April 2026)—align IT-09 with federal standards
Accessibility Training
Build internal capability—developer, QA, and content author training
Ongoing Monitoring
Fractional accessibility officer for sustained IT-09 compliance