diff --git a/skimage/transform/integral.py b/skimage/transform/integral.py
index a922d403..9dda2f89 100644
--- a/skimage/transform/integral.py
+++ b/skimage/transform/integral.py
@@ -33,15 +33,23 @@ def integral_image(img):
     return S
 
 
-def integrate(ii, *args):
+def integrate(ii, begining, ending, *args):
     """Use an integral image to integrate over a given window.
 
     Parameters
     ----------
     ii : ndarray
         Integral image.
-    args: lists of start and end coordinates
-        (see example for detailed explanation)
+    begining : A tuple 
+        Coordinates of top left corner of window
+        For multiple windows each coordinate should be a list
+    ending : A tuple 
+        Coordinates of bottom right corner of window
+        For multiple windows each coordinate should be a list
+    args: optional
+        for backward compatibility
+	used when each coordinate is specified in a seperate list  
+       
 
     Returns
     -------
@@ -50,27 +58,33 @@ def integrate(ii, *args):
     Notes
     -----
     Example
-    >>arr = np.asarray([[1,1,1,1,1,1],[1,1,1,1,1,1],[1,1,1,1,1,1],[1,1,1,1,1,1],[1,1,1,1,1,1]])
-    >>print arr
-    [[1 1 1 1 1 1]
-    [1 1 1 1 1 1]
-    [1 1 1 1 1 1]
-    [1 1 1 1 1 1]
-    [1 1 1 1 1 1]]
-    >>ii = integral_image(arr);
-    >>print integrate(ii,1,0,1,2) #sum from (1,0) -> (1,2)
+    >>> arr = np.ones((5, 6), dtype=np.float)
+    >>> ii = integral_image(arr)
+    >>> print(integrate(ii,(1, 0), (1, 2)))  # sum from (1,0) -> (1,2)
     [ 3.]    
-    >>print integrate(ii,3,3,4,5) #sum form (3,3) -> (4,5)
+    >>> print(integrate(ii,(3, 3), (4, 5)))  # sum form (3,3) -> (4,5)
     [ 6.]
-    >>print integrate(ii,[1,3],[0,3],[1,4],[2,5]) # sum from (1,0) -> (1,2) and (3,3) -> (4,5) 
-    [3. 6.]
+    >>> print(integrate(ii,([1, 3], [0, 3]), ([1, 4], [2, 5])))  # sum from (1,0) -> (1,2) and (3,3) -> (4,5) 
+    [3.  6.]
+    >>> print(integrate(ii, [1, 3], [0, 3], [1, 4], [2, 5]))  # deprecated usage
+    [3.  6.]
     """
-    assert(len(args) == 2 * ii.ndim)
-    start = args[0]
-    end = args[ii.ndim]
-    for i in range(1, ii.ndim):
-        start = np.vstack((start, args[i]))
-        end = np.vstack((end, args[i + ii.ndim]))
+    # handle new input format
+    if(len(args) == 0):
+        start = begining[0]
+        end = ending[0]
+        for i in range(1, ii.ndim):
+            start = np.vstack((start, begining[i]))
+            end = np.vstack((end, ending[i]))
+       	
+    # handle deprecated input format
+    else:
+        args = (begining, ending) + args
+        start = args[0]
+        end = args[ii.ndim]
+        for i in range(1, ii.ndim):
+            start = np.vstack((start, args[i]))
+            end = np.vstack((end, args[i + ii.ndim]))
     
     # each row of start/end is a starting/ending point
     start = start.T
@@ -79,6 +93,7 @@ def integrate(ii, *args):
     rows = start.shape[0]
     image_shape = ii.shape
     total_shape = image_shape
+
     # take care of negative coordinates
     for i in range(1, rows):
         total_shape = np.vstack((total_shape, image_shape))
@@ -110,4 +125,3 @@ def integrate(ii, *args):
         
         S += [sign * ii[tuple(corner_points[r])] if(bad[r] == False) else 0 for r in range(rows)] # add only good rows
     return S
-