A paper with a good summary of ordinal regression models: "Regression models for ordinal responses: A review of methods and applications"
The first method described is "Cumulative Logit Model" or "Proportion Odds model". In this model, dependence of dependent variable can be expressed as log of odds equals to a linear combination of independent variables and thresholds on the ordinal values. This model is used by Yehuda Koren and Joe Sill in their OrdRec paper (RecSys'11) to extend SVD++ for ordinal feedback of items.