Richard M. Gargiulo is Professor Emeritus of special education in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), where he has been a teacher educator for more than three decades. Prior to receiving his Ph.D. degree in educational psychology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Richard taught fourth graders and young children with intellectual disability in the Milwaukee Public Schools. Upon receiving his doctorate he joined the faculty of Bowling Green State University in Bowling Green, Ohio, where he taught for over eight years. A frequent contributor to the professional literature, Richard has authored or coauthored over 100 publications, including sixteen textbooks. His previous professional contributions include serving as the first Fulbright Scholar in special education assigned to the former Czechoslovakia; being twice elected as President of the Alabama Federation, Council for Exceptional Children; serving as President of the Division of International Special Education and Services (DISES), Council for Exceptional Children; and serving as President of the Division on Autism and Developmental Disabilities (DADD), Council for Exceptional Children.

Currently, Richard serves as the Southeast Representative to the board of directors of the Division on Autism and Developmental Disabilities. Teaching, however, has always been Richard's passion. In 1999 he received UAB's President's Award for Excellence in Teaching. In 2007 he was honored by the Alabama Federation, Council for Exceptional Children, with the Jasper Harvey Award in recognition of being named the outstanding teacher educator in the state.