The study identifies ICT and new media impact on Arabic acquisition as a supplement to traditional face-to-face learning within the framework of formal education system. For the last three years more than one hundred teachers of Arabic from seven Russian institutions have participated in the study under the advanced distance training program " The Arabic language and innovative education" (hereinafter -the Program). The onemonth-long Program was developed and implemented by the authors of the present study. The Program is aimed to give the teachers of Arabic additional skills to improve their professional competence, such as creating digital teaching materials (e-books, presentations, multimedia applications, etc.), acquiring competency in the ICTsupported learning capacities, etc. The Program is implemented by means of videoconferencing and of SAKAI Collaboration and Learning Environment. The present study addresses the introduction and implementation of new technologies for Arabic learning on the basis of the examples obtained in the course of cooperating with seven institutions across Russia on developing common learning practices and teaching strategies. The fact that three of the seven institutions are Islamic Universities, which have their own, special objectives, methods and traditions in Arabic instruction, is highly important. The results show how ` digital literacy' opens up new pedagogical capabilities and how using ICT in Arabic language instruction can enrich it by integrating it with social, economic and cultural elements.