This bad boy is free but large at 15 MB http://www.download.com/Arabic-Before-You-Know-It-Lite/3000-2279_4-10368882.html?t ag=lst-0-4
Arabic Before You Know It Lite 3.5 popular
I downloaded Oliver Thill's ArabicAlpha, which is a smaller program but useful:
http://members.aol.com/JapAlpha/private/aral10.htm
As for books, there is one good one out there:
The Arabic Alphabet: How to Read & Write It
by Nicholas Awde
I bought this book by Awde. But I have had to restart it a few times because you really must do a chapter or two a day and do it consistently. I cannot untill summer, so I have quit.
I bought this one about 5 months ago and finally lamenated the flashcards. Its a great book, but it really moves fast.
Your First 100 Words in Arabic : Beginner's Quick & Easy Guide to Demystifying Non-Roman Scripts
by Jane Wightwick
And if you don't want to spend $92 on a English Arabic Dictionary then:
English-Arabic Vocabulary by Merrill Y. Van Wagoner "Spoken Language Services, Inc" at $20 its the best I can find.
And a good cheap program if PlanetCDROM still has it is:
Language Learning Arabic - The Read & Write Way
I bought that one for shipping and handling only $5.99. And it pronounces letters, numbers, and about 400 words. Plus it teaches writing Arabic script slowly. Then it also pronounces about 100 phrases. Best buy for my money. Oh 17 left in stock:
http://www.planetcdrom.com/cgi-bin/shop?cat=1220&cid=14458482-310951411&cpg=1&offer =pc14713
[This message has been edited by sonomod (edited 01 April 2005).]