A variety of locally dependent models are introduced having individual difference parameters that may be interpreted as reflecting effective learning abilities. One version is a univariate extension of the Rasch model with a Markov property: the probability that a given individual will pass an item depends on previous items only through the…

The use of restricted item response models to test hypotheses regarding item difficulty ordering and slope uniformity was demonstrated in a study in which 597 algebra students were asked to solve word problems reflecting various types of cognitive processing. Benefits and limitations of the procedures are discussed. (SLD)