Abstract: Multidimensional item response theory is a new test theory based on factor analysis and unidimensional item response theory. According to the way how multiple abilities interact on each other when the subject is performing a task, multidimensional item response models can be divided to two types compensatory and noncompensatory models. Based on the compensatory models which are commonly used in practice, this paper investigated the development trend in the further research, which included MIRT models for polytomous data and higher dimensional space, developing parameter estimate program for the MIRT models, research of integrating compensatory and noncompensatory models, and Multidimensional test equating.

Key words: multidimensional item response theory, multidimensional item response models, compensatory model, noncompensatory model