Language barrier issues could delay social integration and negatively affect productivity outcomes. In Germany, the successful completion rate of an integration course in 2018, from the first trial, was below 50%. Using mobile-assisted language-learning (MALL) applications along with integration course attendance may improve, through several channels, the language-learning and social integration outcomes of migrants in Germany. We have conducted an RCT in integration courses among migrants and refugees to estimate the effect of encouraging the use of mobile learning on the study population´s German skills and social integration outcomes.

Preliminary analysis shows that the intervention successfully changed students' behavior in terms of mobile learning take-up and usage. In the treatment group, 46% downloaded the app "Ankommen" as compared to 5% of the control group, which is the official mobile application for german learning developed by the German government. Moreover, on average, a student from the treatment group reported having spent 30 minutes per day using MALL, compared to 15 minutes per day for a student from the control group. Lastly, being in the treatment group increased the standardized German skills index score by 0.3 SD. On the other hand, we find no significant difference in any of the self-reported integration measures between the two groups.