  Gamma-rays from the decay of $^{26}$Al offer a stringent constraint on the
Galaxy's global star formation rate over the past million years, supplementing
other methods for quantifying the recent Galactic star formation rate, such as
equivalent widths of H$\alpha$ emission. Advantages and disadvantages of using
$^{26}$Al gamma-ray measurements as a tracer of the massive star formation rate
are analyzed. Estimates of the Galactic $^{26}$Al mass derived from COMPTEL
measurements are coupled with a simple, analytical model of the $^{26}$Al
injection rate from massive stars and restrict the Galaxy's recent star
formation rate to \hbox{5 $\pm$ 4 M\sun yr$^{-1}$}. In addition, we show that
the derived $^{26}$Al mass implies a present day \hbox{Type II + Ib} supernovae
rate of 3.4 $\pm$ 2.8 per century, which seems consistent with other
independent estimates of the Galactic core collapse supernova rate. If some
independent measure of the massive star initial mass function or star formation
rate or \hbox{Type II + Ib} supernovae rate were to become available (perhaps
through estimates of the Galactic $^{60}$Fe mass), then a convenient way to
restrain, or possibly determine, the other parameters is presented.
